On the occasion of golden jubilee celebrations, Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice organised a special zoom event on breast cancer awareness to mark the Ethnic Minorities Cancer Awareness Month (EMCAM) which was attended by prominent community leaders and doctors from the UK and India.
The moderator of the zoom event was Jyotsna Shah, Consulting Editor of Gujarat Samachar. Expert speakers- Dr Toral Gathani and Dr Bhavesh Parekh talked about awareness, stigma and misconceptions regarding breast cancer in Asian communities.
Welcoming those present at the event, C B Patel, the Editor-in-Chief of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, said, “I consider your support and cooperation as the grace of God when we celebrate this occasion. The sayings 'first happiness is self-made' and ‘our happiness is in our hands' are true. Eighty years ago, tuberculosis was considered incurable, but now with advanced treatment it is a curable disease. Now cancer is considered as a life threatening disease, but with early detection and expert treatment, the scenario has changed a lot. Medical science, doctors, health services and the pharma industries and pharmacists have advanced a lot in treating cancer.”
Indian women are more susceptible to Breast Cancer, believes Dr Gathani
Dr Toral Gathani- MD MEd FRCS, Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at Oxford University said, “Indian women are more likely to develop breast cancer as compared to other ethnic minority women. Even though they are less likely to get breast cancer compared to white women, it is still the most common cancer that is diagnosed in the UK. It is important to be aware of the symptoms you need to look for. The most common symptom is a lump, and if you feel that there is a lump in either of the breast or under the arm, then it's important that you seek help. The other problem may be changes in the nipples, such as a discharge that may be either clear or bloody. It may develop an ulcer or become inverted. General skin changes on the breast are important, particularly if there is an ulcer that doesn't heal. If these issues persist, it is necessary to visit a doctor. If you live in the UK, you should first register with a general practitioner, and later they will make an assessment. And if necessary, they refer you to the local hospital's breast clinic. In a breast clinic, they will ask you some questions, examine you, take some pictures, do an x-ray of the breast, which is called a mammogram, or do an ultrasound scan. And sometimes they will even do a biopsy. You don't need to be concerned if you have the tests; it doesn't imply you have cancer; it just means they need to know more. If you are over the age of 50 in the UK, you’ll be invited to go for a mammogram. And if you are invited for this test, it is crucial that you take it since it will detect breast cancer before you show the symptoms I've been describing. You will receive a letter or mail every three years inviting you to the clinic.”
“Age is the main risk factor for breast cancer. Consequently, your risk of developing cancer increases as you age. Things such as being overweight and drinking alcohol can also increase the risk factor. Treatments such as Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) are slightly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, so it is necessary to discuss these things with your GP,” Dr Gathani added. She further said, “We have very good and successful medical treatments available. The main treatment will be an operation to remove the cancer and some normal tissue around and to take one or two lymph nodes from under the arm. For most people, this operation will take place in one day, and the recovery is very quick. Other treatments that we use for breast cancer include radiotherapy, which is x-ray treatment that is given to the breast and the lymph nodes under the arm. We also have drug treatments; the most common ones are tablets that people often take for up to five years.”
“The treatment that everyone worries about, chemotherapy is less common but still a possibility. However, it is not the most frequently used treatment for breast cancer. So the treatments for breast cancer are safe, effective and the side effects can be managed. In my opinion, the most crucial thing is not to be afraid about it because, if we don't know that you have a problem, we can't address it, so the sooner you come forward, the better,” she said.
Dr Parekh says, Breast cancer is completely curable
Dr. Bhavesh Parekh- Head of Shalby Cancer & Research Institute said, “Even though cancer and breast cancer are completely curable, it creates unnecessary fear among the patients and her entire family.” Describing the effectiveness of the treatment, Dr Bhavesh said, “a woman from Kenya - Africa had breast cancer and it was stage four. It had spread to the bone and liver. She was told that she would live only for about 3 to 6 months. Since a woman is considered as the pillar of an Asian or African family, the entire family was worried. Her son was studying in Ireland and her husband had undergone bypass surgery. She cried on the phone and said 'what will happen to us now?' I asked her to come to Ahmedabad. When she arrived, we did a biopsy and treated her with just subcutaneous injections without surgery or chemotherapy. Today after one and a half years her PET scan report is normal.”
He said, “Once a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, the woman and the entire family generally request us to remove the breast, which I oppose. We do not remove a woman's breast at any stage in our hospital. We give them chemo and do a small operation on the breast to remove the lump and also remove the lump from the armpit. Apart from this it can be completely cured by giving radiation therapy and hormonal therapy.”
Dr Bhavesh said there are many misconceptions prevalent in the society about cancer. Some think it is hereditary, contagious and one should not wash the clothes and utensils of the patients with others or one should keep the clothes of the patients separately and one should not eat food with such people or visiting hotels. Dr Bhavesh said there is no truth in these beliefs and there is no problem in mingling with such people.
He added, “Even if women had her breasts removed, I support them by helping them to reintegrate with society by undergoing plastic surgery, prosthetics, and therapy. I believe that cancer cannot be cured by medicine alone, counseling is very necessary. With the platform of Gujarat Samachar UK, I want to remove the mental anguish of many patients. Even such diseases are not harmful, yet we have made this disease dangerous. If any woman gets cancer in her 50s or 60s, we will help her with care and treatment that can assist her to fight the disease. We must take some precautions beforehand. For that, avoid drinking, smoking and avoid being fat. After cancer is discovered, there is no need to show excessive concern. Do physical exercise, go to the gym, do yoga, meditate or listen to your favorite music. By eliminating the worries in your life, you can ignore your cancer and you can have a successful and a happy life”, he said.
Dr Jayashree Shah- Retired NHS integrated medical GP said, "If any women wish to get the screening done after the age of 71, they may still seek to have their own screening. Since there is good treatment available, the objective is to catch it early, but even if it is diagnosed a little late, it can be treated and cured. However, the screening that is conducted here indicates that 1 out of every 200 people have the symptoms. Therefore, undergo screening, even if you may not have any symptoms. Sometimes you may be called for a second time and it is only to make sure that you are free of any problems. Every woman should test themselves by standing in front of a mirror in case there is a problem or a small change in her own breast to avoid any unfortunate circumstances. Many training workshops are conducted by nurses and doctors about self-examination. Also, there is a lot of support available in this nation, and there is also an Asian Women's Group for individuals who have been diagnosed."
Present participants asked questions on topics such as genetic issues, ethnic community beliefs, men's breast cancer, taboos in the community, the ageing population, to mention a few.
The vote of thanks was presented by Group Editor Mahesh Liloriya.