Archive for July 26th, 2010

Information as a Defense Against Cancer

My mother died of breast cancer at the age of 54. Her cancer was diagnosed after undergoing a surgical breast biopsy when it was already in its late stage. Although she still underwent chemotherapy sessions, doctors gave her a small chance of survival.

Had her cancer been detected when it was still in its early stage, her chance to survive would have been high. She actually discovered a lump in her left breast three or four years before she passed away but she didn’t go to the doctor for a medical examination. She ignored it and hid it from me and my father. When she found out that the lump was growing, she discussed it with my father but she was still not convinced to see a doctor.

She somehow knew that if she went to a doctor, the doctor would recommend her to undergo a breast biopsy and she was afraid of it. In her mind it would be painful if her breast would be cut open to get samples for laboratory examination. She was only convinced to see a doctor when ulcerations appeared in the lump. It was already more than a year after she first found the lump.

Ignorance or misinformation about medical procedures leads to damaging, if not life threatening problems. Because of misinformation, fear gets in the way for certain diseases or disorders to be diagnosed early.

In our family’s case, misinformation about breast cancer and breast biopsy led to loss of a loved one. It may be too late to save my mother, but just recently I’ve started collecting information about breast cancer and the breast biopsy procedure. I would like to be able to share this information with as many women as possible in the hope that lives will be saved (not only for the patients’ sake but for their children as well).

Breast biopsy is a procedure where sample tissues from a breast where a lump or thickening is found are taken. It is done to determine if the lump or growth is benign or malignant.

Contrary to what my mother thought, this procedure is not only done through surgical means (where an incision is made on the skin to scrape off samples for testing). There are other procedures that are not surgical in nature. These non-surgical procedures can be done in a clinic and can be done fast. Confinement is usually not necessary. These non-invasive procedures do not cause scarring because stitches are not done on the skin.

Breast biopsy procedures are generally not painful. Pain is felt only when anesthesia is injected. Whatever pain is felt can be lessened or alleviated by non-prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers. Risk of complications such as bleeding and infection is small especially in non-surgical means.

Results are obtained within a few days after the procedure. When the result is negative of cancer, the doctor may just recommend the patient to go back regularly for check-ups. Other procedures may not be needed. When the result however shows that the lump is malignant or cancerous, further tests may be done – or for some, immediate treatment may be recommended.

Knowing information regarding a certain disorder or disease like breast cancer is very important. Being correctly informed can be one of our best defenses to survive such disorder or disease. So the next time you are faced with the possibility of being seriously sick, drop the drama and go to a doctor to ask about it or click on the internet and read.

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