THE number of breast cancer cases have been
on the rise with 72 cases recorded last year when only 31 were recorded in
2006, the Minister of Health (MoH) shared yesterday.
In that
light, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan
Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohd Yusof said the ministry is
constantly organising awareness campaigns on the prevention of breast cancer,
which is seen as the highest occurring cancer for women in Brunei.
On the
13th day of the Legislative Council (LegCo) proceedings, Yang Berhormat Datin
Paduka Hjh Salbiah Hj Sulaiman raised questions on initiatives towards
promoting preventive measures against breast cancer, the "No 1
killer" for women in Brunei.
She
asked what are the considerations by the ministry to address the increasing
cases of breast cancer in the Health Promotion Blueprint 2011-2015, and what
preventive strategies are there to bring the numbers down.
YB
Pehin Dato Hj Adanan advised women to undergo examination so that they can
detect any new or changing lesions that might be symptoms of cancer.
Clinical
breast examinations are also offered at women's health clinics in all four
districts, where he noted about 10,000 people have registered between 2004 and
2010.
Every
year, about 3,000 to 6,000 women underwent clinical breast examinations at the
health clinics, he said.
Women
are also taught at health clinics to perform self-examinations to ensure early
detection of any abnormality to ensure they get the necessary treatment
immediately.
"Any
women found to have the symptoms or abnormal changes to their breasts will be
referred to relevant specialist clinics for further treatment," he said.
YB
Datin Hjh Salbiah also queried on the need and availability of mammogram
screenings for women aged 50 and above as a step towards early detection of
breast cancer.
To
this, YB Pehin Dato Hj Adanan replied that mammogram screenings are
specifically for women who have found symptoms or abnormal changes to their
breasts, and it is more suitable for women aged 40 and above. He noted that
there were only 324 patients who underwent mammogram examination in 2011.
He
added that examination using digital ultrasound is also available for patients
aged below 50 years old. This preventive method, he said, was promoted in the
form of pamphlets distributed in all healthcare centres in Bandar Seri Begawan.
"The
MoH is always promoting through mass media and sometimes we also have health
promotion activities, including ways of preventing cancer," he said.
LOW
LENG MAY
The
Brunei Times
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