85% of breast cases could be curable if detected early

In November 2018, María Isabel X, 43, was exploring her breasts, an action she commonly performed every month in front of her bathroom mirror, and she detected a lump in her right breast, took action and quickly went to her clinic.

In an intimate conversation with The EconomistMaría Isabel said she was panicked as she had heard many hopeless stories. At the end of February 2019, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and began a series of tests to see the severity of the disease.

However, the isolation, the mobility restrictions and the priority of the health service to attend to the infected by Covid-19 affected their treatments. “The fear of contagion and the lack of service stopped my recovery and the cancer invaded my breast and now in November of this year, I will have a mastectomy (surgery that completely removes the breast)”.

Specialists consider that the pause in health services due to the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the evolution of breast cancer and all diseases in general.

The anguish is present, in the last 10 years, the deaths of women by malignant tumor of the breast in Mexico they have increased almost 52%, going from 5,222 women in 2011 to 7,925 women in 2021, according to mortality statistics released by Inegi.

The CIMA foundation mentioned that 21 Mexican women die daily due to this disease and more than 15,000 new cases are detected each year in the population aged 20 and over.

The concern is high, said María Isabel, however, “doctors have told me that the survival rate with non-metastatic breast cancer (it spread but in the same part of the body where it formed) as in my case, is over 80 percent.”

What is breast cancer?

When we speak of breast cancer, we refer to malignant tumors that originate in the mammary gland, where the cells of the mammary gland they lose order in their growth, they are even capable of invading neighboring tissues or distant organs, in this case we are talking about an advanced or metastatic cancer, as defined by Juan Enrique Bargalló Rocha, head of the Breast Tumors Department of the National Cancer Institute (INCan) .

Víctor Marín Cantú, specialist in gynecology and fertility mentioned that among the main risk factors for breast cancer are: being a woman, obesity, not having had children, not having breastfed, a family history of the disease, the use of hormones as contraceptives or therapy during menopause , and age, since half of the cases of this type of cancer occur in women 50 years of age or older.

In addition to what Marín mentioned in a video on 1minuto.org, Bargalló said that there are risk factors to reduce or modify breast cancer that are modifiable, that is, we have the ability to change how they are: lifestyle and within of this item specifically food, physical activity (exercise or not), alcohol consumption and weight control. “Among the factors that are not modifiable, they are related to genetics, family history, personal history and environmental factors.”

Marín Cantú mentioned that 40 years ago it was established that vitamin D3 deficiency apparently increases the risk of cancer, of 15 or 16 malignant tumors, including breast cancer, so it is necessary that in addition to physical activity and nutrition .

He said that if there is overweight and obesity, the greater amount of fat sequesters vitamin D3, preventing its anti-inflammatory and immunological action in the body, which is why it is also more difficult to lose weight.

Let’s talk about the symptoms

Commonly, the first finding is when a nodule or lump is palpated in the breast or in the armpit, not being the only one, it can also present an increase in the thickness or swelling of the breast, redness or peeling of the skin of the breast or in the area of ​​the nipple, sinking of the nipple, pain, discharge from the nipple, changes in the shape and size of the breast.

Marín explained that 90% of women who start with breast cancer did not have a family history, which shows the relevance of the care that must be taken in the lifestyle that is led.

Treatments

Doctors agree that timely detection and access to treatment is important to reduce mortality figures. The treatments go according to the stage in which the disease is found and which have a greater probability of success, so they may suggest: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or targeted therapy and some may be in combination.

Between 75% and 85% of cases could be curable if detected early and treated properly. However, currently only 1 in 3 women is diagnosed in the early stages.

“To reduce the numbers of mortality from conditions like breast cancer, it is urgent that, in collaboration with all the key players in the oncology sector, we commit to scientific research, since this means improving the efficiency of treatments and improving people’s quality of life”, commented Héctor Valle Mesto, president FUNSALUD Executive.

“The most important goal of timely detection is to find the disease before symptoms appear, this can be achieved with self-examination, feel your breasts, look for any of the symptoms” and perform mammography once a year, in women of 40 years and up,” said Bargalló.

In March 2021, the WHO presented the Initiative that aims to reduce global mortality from breast cancer by 2.5% per year, thus avoiding an estimated 2.5 million deaths by 2040.

The initiative’s activities will focus on three pillars: Health Promotion, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment, including supportive care.

Breast cancer, in addition to affecting health, also affects the personal economy or the family economy, according to Axa Seguros, a breast cancer in phase IV is up to 418% more expensive than one in phase I, 221% than in phase II, and 98% with respect to a phase III and women in phase II cost 61% more treatment than those diagnosed with phase I.

But the most important thing is to take action on a personal level: get to know your body, explore your breasts, do your annual check-ups and see your doctor if you have any symptoms or concerns.

patricia.ortega@eleconomista.mx