The incidence of breast cancer continues to increase annually.
Dr. Shirley Jhagroo, Chairperson of the Barbados Cancer Society’s (BCS) Breast Screening Programme, has also revealed that breast cancer remains the most common cause of death from cancer in Barbadian women, taking the life of about one woman per week.
She was at the time addressing a press conference at Bougainvillea Beach Resort to launch the 14th annual National Breast Cancer Awareness Walk/Run, which will be held on October 16.
“There are now approximately four to five cases per week,” Dr Jhagroo revealed.
“The good news, however, is that the mortality from cancer, when total deaths from all cancers are taken into account, has remained the same over the past six years – nine to 11% – which could be attributed to early detection and more treatment options,” she added.
Dr. Jhagroo went on to acknowledge that to date, the Breast Screening Programme has done just over 50 000 mammograms and 4 500 ultrasounds; and that there has been a great increase in education and awareness aided by the mobile vehicle.
She also noted that the early detection of breast cancer facility was upgraded in 2010, by the purchase of a state-of-the-art digital mammogram machine at a cost of Bds$1.3 million.
“Recently, breast ultrasound imaging was upgraded by the addition of a new ultrasound machine with special features to enhance early detection abnormalities, and the introduction of ultrasound directed biopsies. These upgrades have brought Barbados to the level of first-world countries in breast cancer screening and early detection,” she expressed.
Dr. Jhagroo added that funds raised from this year’s event will be distributed among breast cancer charities across the island. (TL)
