The vice president of the SenosAyuda foundation, Vanessa Ochoa, explained the methods of detecting breast cancer and its impact on the patients’ environment, through a chat forum held by SuchWhich
In October, breast cancer awareness month is celebrated, a disease that, according to figures provided by the SenosAyuda foundation, is diagnosed in at least 20 women a month in Venezuela.
According to the organization, nine women die monthly from breast cancer in the country, although it is a disease that can also occur in men. In a chat forum made by SuchWhichVanessa Ochoa, vice president of SenosAyuda and cancer survivor, talked about the implications of the diagnosis for patients and their loved ones.
Ochoa explained that “self-examination” to detect breast cancer is a method that is currently not recommended because generally, diagnoses with this form tend to be in patients in an advanced state of the disease. Therefore, the vice president of SenosAyuda indicated that the recommended exams are mammography and echoes:
«Mammography can detect lesions up to 0.3 millimeters. With touch you cannot detect a lesion of this size. Let’s say then when we detect an injury of 0.3 millimeters it is obviously an injury that is at an early age and that is where it is important to detect it,” he added.
The guest at the chat forum explained that the exams should be carried out from the age of 35, she even advises that people start their check-ups at an earlier age, since with the advances in medicine it has been determined that breast cancer is not limited to an age range. He specified that care with mastologists is necessary to set review schedules.
The vice president of SenosAyuda clarified that breast cancer is not a disease that can be prevented, but its early detection helps more effective responses and increases the possibility of survival for patients.
Vanessa Ochoa commented that poor diet and a history in family groups of screening for the disease can be risk factors for suffering from breast cancer; however, she clarified that there are several myths around possible diagnoses and their consequences in life. of people:
«It is completely false that only women over 40 can have it, or that the greater the size the risk increases. It is also false that it is hereditary, that having breast cancer is a death sentence? Totally false. That if you don’t have a family history, you won’t get cancer? It is also false, breast cancer does not occur until menopause? It is also false,” he said.
Ochoa also commented that psychological help and emotional support from friends and family to diagnosed people is essential to carry out the treatment and recovery stage. He added that in his case, the company of his close ones was a motivation for his process.
The guest at the chat forum said that in addition to diagnosis and support, there are resources from the SenosAyuda foundation to teach people about breast cancer and its detection:
«We have a talk called the ABCs of breast cancer and we give it wherever we are asked. I think it is one of our greatest allies because in one way or another we are not only educating, but we are also clarifying a lot of things that the people who are listening to us have and sometimes do not dare to ask,” Ochoa added.
*Read also: Anticancer Society of Venezuela: 10 women die every day from breast cancer
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