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Dr Kazim, consultant breast surgeon in Dubai

Breast cancer in young women on the rise in UAE

DUBAI, October 8, 2014

The steady increase in breast cancer cases among younger women in the UAE is presenting a new challenge in the fight against what has become the most common malignancy in females in the country, according to an expert.

The UAE is currently in the midst of a leading breast cancer awareness campaign – BurJuman’s Safe & Sound – which kicked off early this month.

Dr Houriya Kazim, consultant breast surgeon at Well Woman Clinic, Dubai, said: “The incidence of breast cancer in women under 40 is on the rise in the UAE.

“What makes this trend especially worrying is that breast cancer in younger women is generally more aggressive and less likely to have a sustained response to treatment than in older women.”

While the rise in breast cancer cases in younger women in the UAE is in keeping with a global trend, women in the UAE and the Arab world are more prone to the disease, said a study.

According to a 2010 study by the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, Arab women tend to develop breast cancer much earlier than their counterparts in Western countries.

The finding was further corroborated in a study conducted by researchers at the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar last year, who concluded that breast cancer appears in Arab women on average at least 10 years earlier than it does in women in Europe.

Linda Berlot, a breast cancer survivor and an ambassador of the campaign, said: “The rise in breast cancer cases in younger women puts sharp focus on the need for women to go for clinical check-ups from a younger age.

“Early detection is the key to effective treatment, and often makes the difference between life and death. For the fight against breast cancer to have its desired impact, there is a need for an unrelenting emphasis on the importance of early detection, along with sustained awareness efforts to create sufficient understanding among women of all ages and nationalities about the risk factors of breast cancer.”

“Many young women tend to think that breast cancer cannot happen to them, and as a result develop a false sense of security about their risks for developing the disease. While it is much more common in women over 40 and those with a strong family history of the disease, the truth is that breast cancer can affect women regardless of their age, racial group, genetic factors or reproductive history,” said Dr Kazim.

“Only 20 per cent of patients report a positive family history so the rationale that no one in the family has had breast cancer cannot be an excuse for avoiding screening.”

“A mammogram can, on average, diagnose a cancerous lump approximately three years prior to it being palpable. Leading a healthy lifestyle is important, and limiting alcohol, abstaining from smoking, and exercising regularly can go a long way towards reducing the risk of breast cancer,” she said.

UniCare, BurJuman’s medical partner for Safe & Sound, is providing mammograms at a discount of 60 per cent, during this month, which is the International Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

To support Safe & Sound’s mission of raising awareness on the campaign’s core three-step programme – which encompasses monthly self-examinations, regular clinical check-ups from age 20, and annual mammograms from age 40 – uniCare is also also giving away 10,000 free clinical check-ups through October.

Meanwhile, the BurJuman Pink Walkathon, the campaign’s flagship event to be held on October 31 at the Zabeel Park in Dubai, will comprise various in-mall and external events and activities that allow people to contribute to the cause, such as the Pink Book Sale and the Pink Lounge, as well as extensive social media promotions and student engagement programmes. - TradeArabia News Service




Tags: UAE | Cancer | Women | Breast | young |

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