Breast Cancer cases Surge in Türkiye,experts Urge Proactive Screening
ISTANBUL – A growing number of breast cancer diagnoses are raising concerns across Türkiye,with over 20,000 women annually facing the disease. Medical professionals are emphasizing the critical importance of early detection and dispelling common fears surrounding screening methods.
The rising incidence underscores the need for increased awareness and proactive health management. While often considered a women’s health issue, experts stress that breast cancer can also affect men. According to prof. Dr. Güneş, breast cancer is diagnosed in 1 man for every 100 breast cancer cases. “Just like in women, they apply to us with the complaint of a palpable mass. Breast cancer in men can have a more aggressive course,” she noted.
Early detection remains the moast powerful tool in combating the disease. Prof.Dr. Güneş recommends that women begin monthly self-breast examinations after the age of 20. “The 5 minutes you spare for yourself will return years to you,” she stated. “Do not say, ‘I am young, I cannot get breast cancer.’ Unluckily, cancer is a condition that can be seen at any age, wherever there are cells.”
Screening guidelines include annual ultrasound and physician examinations until age 40, followed by annual mammography after 40. Addressing concerns about mammography safety, Prof. Dr. Güneş clarified, “Mammography doesn’t cause cancer.The radiation rate you receive from mammography for 50 years is between 20 and 50 mSv; But you get this on a long plane ride. You are exposed to this much radiation in your daily life in 3 months. There is no mammography-induced breast cancer in the literature.”
Common symptoms of breast cancer include a palpable mass in the breast or armpit, nipple withdrawal, nipple discharge (especially bloody discharge), asymmetry in the breast, and wounds on the breast that do not heal.
prof. Dr. Güneş concluded with a message of empowerment for those diagnosed: “We say early diagnosis saves lives.You should not be afraid of cancer, let cancer be afraid of you… Continue your life the way you lived your life.Do not break away from life, do not disrupt your routine work, do not postpone your enthusiasm until tomorrow and do what you want to do. These will always make you strong.”
