Mammography With 40 Per Cent Less Radiation

By Hazlinda Hamzah MELAKA (Malaysia), Nov 29 (Bernama) – For every 20 women in Malaysia, one woman is at risk of getting breast cancer. In Malaysia, females make up 49.3 per cent of the total population (28 million). In the United States, the national expenditure for the treatment of female breast cancer is estimated at US$16.5 billion. Most of the women are aware that breast cancer takes lives, but they are unaware of the symptoms and signs. “In Malaysia, 32.1 per cent of female cancer patients have breast cancer. There are about 3,700 cases of breast cancer every year," said Suvendra Das, general manager of the Philips Healthcare Asia Pacific (Malaysia/Singapore). Speaking to reporters at the Putra Specialist Centre, Das said that women should go for breast cancer screening. MAMMOGRAPHY FOR WOMEN A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast. Mammograms are used to check for breast cancer in women, who have no signs or symptoms of the disease. Diagnostic mammograms are used to check for breast cancer after a lump or other signs or symptoms of the disease have been found. Detecting a disease at an early stage is certainly better than suddenly being informed of the bad news. “Great care and early detection can help extend the life of a cancer patient. The sooner the disease is detected, the better the chances are of your survival,” said Das. Shining light on the latest mammography system introduced by Philips, Das said that the MicroDose Mammography machine emits 40 per cent less radiation than other systems in the market. “It is the next generation of mammography for women, available at the Putra Specialist Hospital in Melaka, Malaysia. "This system uses X-ray photon counting technology, utilising less radiation while delivering excellent image quality. "It is more efficient than other systems as its patented photon counting detector works more efficiently compared to the standard detectors. This is how x-ray power and x-ray dosage can be reduced,” Das explained. EARLY DIAGNOSIS Dr Imran Yahya, a consultant radiologist at the Putra Specialist Hospital in Melaka believes that the MicroDose Mammography machine produces excellent images and detects potential abnormalities at a low radiation level. “Early diagnosis and treatment are vital for survival. Early treatment is one way of helping a patient fight cancer,” he said. What is breast cancer? A breast cancer is a malignant tumour, which starts from the cells in the breast. Breast cancer occurs mainly in women but men can get it too. In Malaysia, 42 per cent of the cancer patients are diagnosed at later stages - at stages three and four. In the United States and Europe, less than 18 per cent of the cancer patients are diagnosed at such a late stage. If detected early, at stage one, the survival rate can be as high as 81.7 per cent. LUMPS “Cancer generally occurs in people between the ages of 40 and 49. Early detection leads to breast conservation, where major surgery and chemotherapy can be avoided. "Lumps in the breast can only be felt when they are larger than 2 cm. A 5 mm lump on a fatty breast can easily be missed during a physical examination, unless the doctor is well-trained,” Dr Imran explained. He said that the new MicroDose Mammography machine only takes four minutes to screen each breast. The MicroDose Mammography is anatomically curved to give a comfortable fit. In addition, it has a warm surface to reduce discomfort during compression. “Two x-ray views of each breast are normally taken,” the consultant radiologist said. FEAR OF SCREENING Malaysian health authorities are actively promoting healthy lifestyle. However, fear and ignorance among women who are more susceptible to breast cancer are the two reasons why women avoid screening. Women should note that not all lumps are cancerous. In fact, only 10 per cent of these lumps are cancerous. The remaining 90 per cent are benign lesions in the form of cysts and fibroids. Women are also worried of the radiation level they will be exposed to during the screening, apart from the pain, which prevents them from going for screening. “Women below the age of 40 can go for ultrasound. They can also conduct a self-check by looking for lumps on their breasts, and noting if there is any discharge from the nipples,” Dr Imran explained. DETECTION Records show that 40 per cent of the Malay women and 20 per cent of the Indian women are diagnosed with cancer at later stages. The Age Standardised Rate (ASR) for breast cancer is 38.1 for every 100,000 Chinese women, 33.7 for every 100,000 Indian women and 25.4 for every 100,000 Malay women (as per the MOH publication, 2007). Women should take part in health programmes, aimed at raising the public’s awareness of such diseases. Prevention is possible by making changes in your lifestyle. So, make the right choice and live a healthy life. -- BERNAMA