World Health Organization reports indicate that there are 1.38 million new cases of breast cancer annually, and therefore the aim of setting World Breast Cancer Day in October of each year is to raise awareness of the danger of breast cancer, and this is what we will discuss in this article.
Objectives of World Breast Cancer Day
The month of October was chosen as Breast Cancer Month, and intensive awareness campaigns were held across all means of communication and media during this month, to spread everything related to this disease for the following objectives:
- Increasing community awareness of risk factors that increase the probability of developing breast cancer.
- Spreading awareness about ways to prevent it.
- Spreading awareness about the importance of early detection and encouraging it, the target group, and the location and provision of integrated services to combat it, from detection to treatment.
What is the breast cancer logo?
The pink ribbon was adopted in the early 1990s to symbolize breast cancer, so some organizations provide their members with this logo to use on World Breast Cancer Month or Day.
In addition, there are institutions that sell products inspired by this slogan;
What are the facts about World Breast Cancer Day?
Dedicating an entire month to breast cancer awareness, which is October every year, dates back to 1985 in the United States of America, and the first initiative was a joint effort between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical company Zeneca.
The primary goal of this initiative was:
- Increase public awareness about سرطان الثدي The importance of early detection.
- Encourage women to have regular breast examinations, such as mammograms and clinical examinations.
Over time, this campaign gained global fame and October became known internationally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and many health organizations, governments and non-profit groups around the world adopted this month to organize events and campaigns aimed at achieving similar goals, such as education, providing support and raising funds for breast cancer research.
Don't wait for symptoms to appear to make a decision. Oncology center At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.
When is World Breast Cancer Day?
There is no universal day and date for breast cancer, but there is
Instead, the entire month of October every year is designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month globally, and during this month, many events and campaigns are held to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection and providing support to patients.
In conclusion, the power of the color pink spreads in the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is a global campaign around the world organized every year. World Breast Cancer Day aims to raise awareness about breast cancer, as well as encourage women and men to undergo regular screening and look for early signs of the disease to detect this serious disease.
Al Mousa Specialist Hospital pays great attention to women's health, including providing comprehensive and specialized services to detect and treat breast cancer. The hospital has a specialized breast care unit emanating from the Oncology Center, and the unit provides excellent care to women and men of all ages who face health problems related to the breast.
You can now book and inquire about everything related to breast cancer at Al Mousa Specialist Hospital on our numbers listed on the website for more details.
Frequently asked questions
When should you start breast screening?
The main purpose of World Breast Cancer Day is to encourage women to regularly perform breast self-examination and undergo medical examinations, even if there are no symptoms of breast cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, women between the ages of 40 and 44 should have a mammogram every year.
The association also recommends regular mammograms every year for women between the ages of 45 and 54, and then every two years starting at the age of 55.
What is early detection by mammogram?
One of the most important secondary prevention strategies that World Breast Cancer Day seeks to spread is the culture of early detection.
The strategy for early detection of breast cancer aims to improve the quality and outcome of treatment of cases affected by it. Detecting cancer in early cases of the disease increases the cure rate to more than 95%, and reduces the death rate by up to 30%.
The importance of early detection also highlights that most people do not show any symptoms in the early stages of cancer.
Symptoms of breast cancer include:
- A thickening or lump in the breast, which is painless in most cases.
- A change in the size, shape or appearance of the breast.
- Redness, impression, or change in the skin of the breast.
- Changes appear in the appearance of the nipple or the skin of the areola.
- Unnatural or bloody fluid coming out of the nipple.
Attention must be paid to an immediate breast examination and a specialist doctor should be consulted if any abnormal mass appears in the breast, even if the mass does not cause any pain.
How to do a breast self-examination?
Breast self-examination aims to detect any of the symptoms we mentioned. Self-examination is one of the important steps that must be taken into account during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast examination takes the following steps:
- Sit comfortably in front of the mirror and place your hands on your hips until your chest muscles relax.
- Look at the contour of the breast to make sure the different sides match, and note any wrinkles or dimpling.
- Look for any changes in the nipple, such as rash or inward pulling.
- Look for any changes in the skin around the nipple.
- Use the fingers of the left hand to examine the right breast, and move the three middle fingers around the breast;
- Divide the breast into four quadrants, start the examination from the upper inner quadrant, and pass those fingers around the breast.
- Apply the same steps to the lower inner quadrant, then the lower right quadrant, then the upper right quadrant.
- Then move your fingers over the breast towards the armpit without lifting the hand to notice any lumps.
- Repeat the same steps to examine the left breast using the right hand.
It is worth noting that self-examination of the breast does not cause any medical risks, and although the presence of a lump in the breast raises concern, confirming the diagnosis requires consulting a specialist doctor.
Medical references
