KOTA BARU: Most third and fourth stage breast cancer patients went to hospital late to seek treatment because they were embarrassed to go through the process and more obsessed with traditional treatment.
Head of the Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy and Oncology Department, Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) in Kubang Kerian, here, Wan Fatihah Wan Sohaimi said by the time, the patients went to hospital for treatment, about 60% of them were already in critical stage.
“Women over the age of 40 should go for early cancer screening such as pap smear and mammogram as a precautionary measure.
“If they come to seek treatment early, like when they are in stage one, the chances of them being cured will be higher,” she told reporters when met after the ‘Walk For Cancer Survivors 1.0’ programme at the Sports Complex 2 of the USM Health Campus, Kubang Kerian here today.
The participants were flagged-off by the campus deputy director Professor Dr Adam Husein.
Wan Fatihah said based on the department’s statistics last year, there were 828 new cancer cases and 4,000 recurrence cases, with breast cancer the highest, totaling 1,097 cases.
“Most of the patients who were diagnosed early with breast cancer seemed not bothered by it, despite being told of the lump or small tumor they have because they did not feel any pain,” she added.
She said only patients with adequate knowledge on cancer, as well as treatment they received from specialists, could recover. — Bernama
