World Breast Cancer Day: Early detection and screening is key

Every year, at least three million women receive a devastating diagnosis of breast cancer. Oncologists say one in three cancers could be avoided with prevention, although women should be aware that at age 45 they should start getting screenings until around age 70.

According to GEICAM, a leading group in breast cancer research, one in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. With more than 34,000 cases diagnosed each year, it is the most common type of cancer among women, ahead of colorectal, uterine, lung and ovarian cancers.

In Spain, approximately 30% of all cancers diagnosed are of the breast.

Early detection and screening are most important for preventing breast cancer. Lumps, growing veins, warm breasts, drooping nipples, an orange-peel rash, pain or hardening of the skin, among other symptoms, are cause for concern for patients.

On the other hand, self-examination allows us to alert the doctor to possible cancer if we notice something different in the breast. Mammography, which is a safe method despite misinformation in the press, allows us to recognize the status of cancer in the early stages, when treatment can still be curative. Currently, it is a cancer that increases survival rates, and it should not be assumed that all cancers are cured equally.

Of course, neither alkaline diets, nor mammograms, nor avoiding bras prevent breast cancer. These hoaxes simply mean that patients are not being checked every year and may end up with serious cancer that is not detected in time.