Memahami Kanser Buah Dada
March 16, 2010 Leave a comment
Ramai wanita tidak memahami apa itu kanser buah dada, namun kanser buah dada adalah salah satu pembunuh wanita nombor satu di Malaysia. Kos rawatan kanser buah dada memakan berpuluh puluh ribu, dan tidak ramai yang mampu menanggung bil perubatan ini. Jika anda memerlukan satu plan yang mudah dan bayaran bulanan yang serendah RM50+, hubungi saya. Berikut adalah info mengenai kanser buah dada.
30 November 1999 Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting women in Malaysia. About one in 19 women in this country are at risk, compared to one in eight in Europe and the United States.
Breast cancer occurs when the cells in the lobules (milk producing glands) or the ducts become abnormal and divide uncontrollably. These abnormal cells begin to invade the surrounding breast tissue and may eventually spread via blood vessels and lymphatic channels to the lymph nodes, lungs, bones, brain and liver.
A tissue sample in the form of needle suction or biopsy may be obtained. Upon confirmation of the cancer, the patient will be staged with x-rays or scans of the lungs and liver. A bone or brain scan may be ordered to evaluate any spread to the bones or the brain.
Staging is important to determine if the patient is potentially in a curable early stage or otherwise:
Biochemical testing of the blood can detect the presence of protein cells excreted by cancer cells. Breast cancer can occasionally exhibit these proteins e.g. CEA or CA15-3. If elevated, these markers can be useful for tracking the progress of treatment or detecting early recurrence after treatment. It is not a screening test for breast cancer.
Radiotherapy uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells. It is a localised form of treatment and is mandatory after conservative surgical treatment. It is only given after a mastectomy if the breast tumour is locally extensive. Radiotherapy reduces the risk of local recurrence rate. Radiotherapy is sometimes used as a palliative treatment to control bone pain, bleeding or pressure symptoms.
Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs given by injection or, occasionally, orally. It treats the cancer by penetrating the tissues and organ via the bloodstream. These drugs are toxic to the cancer cells but they may also cause some side effects to the normal tissues.
For early stage diseases, chemotherapy is used as an added treatment to improve the outcome and cure rates. It is used to “mop-up” the potential micro spread of cells that may have escaped from the breast to the other parts of the body.
For late stage disease, chemotherapy is used to “control” the rate of growth of the tumour and to downsize the bulk of the disease. The use of chemotherapy may also help to control symptoms, prolong survival and improve the quality of life.
Hormone or anti-hormone treatment is only given to patients whose cancer cells are positive to oestrogen or progesterone receptors. By blocking these receptors the growth of the cancer cells can be curtailed. Drugs such as Tamoxifen and the new generation of aromatase inhibitors may help to control the cancer for many years after primary treatment.
There are many new modalities of treatment such as blocking the small molecules inside the cancer cells or antibody blockage of receptors on the cell surface to prevent the cancer from growing too quickly. These new-targeted treatments are still under investigation. These drugs are available in Malaysia but the oncologists will advise patients appropriately.
Early Detection & Screening
Mammography is advisable every one to two years but for younger women (below 35 years), the ultra sound scan of the breast may be helpful for patients with symptoms.