Breast cancer: early detection and treatment

In 2021, breast cancer was the most common cancer diagnosed in both sexes, representing 20% ​​of all cancers in Panama and 34% of those diagnosed in women, with an average age of diagnosis of 59 years.

The number of patients continues to grow: in 2012, 607 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 2021, 988 women, which is an increase of 62.7%, according to data from the National Oncology Institute (ION).

They add that it is 87.8 percent in the country Patients were diagnosed in stages I, II and III, which shows a preference for early diagnosis.

This data is relevant because according to the World Health Organization (WHO), if 60% of breast cancer is diagnosed at an early stage for at least three years, breast cancer mortality could be reduced by at least 2%.

The mentioned data were published during the forum “Towards a Cure for Breast Cancer”, which aimed to create commitment between the public and private sectors, civil society, academia and international organizations to progress towards a cure for breast cancer.

The forum was organized by the National Association Against Cancer (ANCEC), Roche, the United Nations and the City of Knowledge Foundation.

“Join desires and efforts as necessary for improvement women’s health and especially breast cancer patients. Since 2017, we have identified 14 priorities for improving comprehensive breast cancer care. Today we understand that reducing the time between diagnosis and treatment in the early stages of cancer is a priority. This is the only way we will find a cure for breast cancer,” said Dr. Aris Ramos, president of ANCEC.

“Early detection, diagnosis and treatment are a a challenge for breast cancer treatment” said Melissa Delgado, director of corporate affairs for Roche Caribbean, Central America and Venezuela.

“That’s why we call for the generation of concrete actions so that early cancer detection programs enable us to diagnose patients in the early stages of their disease when treatment has the greatest impact on the patient, her environment, the health system and society,” he said. added.

Other data

It’s breast cancer type of cancer most common among women in 158 of 183 countries (86%) and the leading cause of cancer death in women in 107 of 183 countries (58%), according to the WHO.

It was diagnosed worldwide in 2020 breast cancer in 2.3 million women and 685,000 died from this disease worldwide. At the end of 2020, 7.8 million women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the previous five years were still alive, making breast cancer the most widespread malignant tumor.

In the case of Panama, breast cancer is also particularly sensitive, according to Global Cancer Observatory.

The data show that a woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer In the early stages, there is a greater than 95% chance of surviving 5 years after diagnosis; however, a patient in the metastatic stages has a lower probability of survival after 5 years.