Breast Cancer Early Detection Initiative: Don’t Worry, Your Examination Means Safety, Holly Makkah, Saudi Arabia (original) (raw)
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Breast cancer screening programme: experience from Eastern province, Saudi Arabia
Programmes for early diagnosis of breast cancer are lacking in most countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This paper reviews a nongovernmental screening programme launched in October 2009 in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, in which 14 health centres were covered by 2 mobile mammography machines. Annual screening was offered to all women aged 40 years and above. Up to February 2014 a total of 8061 women were screened, an uptake rate of 15.0%. The recall rate was 7.9%. The number of cancers detected was 47, a cancer detection rate of 5.83 per 1000 women screened; 70.2% of the cancers detected had either no mass or the lesions were smaller than 2 cm. The mean age of women with cancer was 50.4 (SD 7.6) years. The screening parameters of our study correlated well with international standards. Despite the controversies regarding universal breast cancer screening, a national breast cancer screening programme for Saudi Arabia is needed. Programme de dépistage du cancer du sein : expérience de la province orientale en Arabie saoudite RÉSUMÉ Les programmes visant à réaliser le diagnostic précoce du cancer du sein sont inexistants dans la plupart des pays de la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. La présente étude examine un programme de dépistage non gouvernemental lancé en octobre 2009 dans la province orientale de l'Arabie saoudite où deux appareils de mammographie mobiles couvraient 14 centres de santé. Un dépistage annuel était proposé à toutes les femmes âgées de 40 ans au plus. Du début du programme à février 2014, un total de 8061 femmes avaient fait l'objet d'un dépistage, soit un taux de participation de 15,0 %. Le taux de rappel était de 7,9 %. Le nombre de cancers dépistés était de 47, soit un taux de dépistage de 5,83 pour 1000 femmes examinées ; 70,2 % des cancers dépistés ne présentaient pas de masse ou avaient des lésions inférieures à deux centimètres. L'âge moyen des femmes atteintes de cancer était de 50,4 ans (E T 7,6 ans). Les paramètres de dépistage de notre étude s'accordaient bien avec les normes internationales. En dépit des controverses concernant le dépistage universel du cancer du sein, un tel programme au niveau national est nécessaire en Arabie saoudite.
The Need for Accessible Breast Cancer Screening Program for Early Detection
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide. Despite its relatively low incidence in Saudi Arabia, breast cancer has been the most common cancer among Saudi women. 4 In fact, it is the single leading cause of cancer death for women of 20 to 59 years of age 5 , thus posing a major public health concern. It is ranked highest amongst all the malignancies seen in Saudi women, comprising 21.8% 9 . It is generally of a high grade, and is locally advanced at the time of diagnosis 11 . The high incidence of breast cancer in young Saudi women should be addressed by evaluating the roles of early detection and prevention programs 6 .
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 2018
High breast cancer mortality has been attributed to a lack of public awareness of the disease. [4] Breast cancer is detected more often in younger females and at a more advanced stage when compared with females of other life stages. [5] In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, breast cancer usually presents at advanced stages and more frequently in young pre-menopausal women in comparison to the Western countries. [6] Early detection of breast cancer can be achieved through breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography. [7] Delayed breast cancer diagnosis in the developing countries is related to poor breast cancer awareness and barriers to healthcare services access. [8] Early detection is more likely to have a better prognosis and more successful treatment. [9] The etiology of breast cancer is complicated, and multiple factors are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer
Efficacy of breast cancer screening program in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Medical Journal
B reast cancer (BC) is a globally challenging health concern and has become the most common type of cancer among women. The disease is associated with a significant health burden and mortality among women. In 2020, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with BC, and 685,000 deaths were reported globally. Some 7.8 million women had been living with BC for the past 5 years, making it the world's most prevalent form of cancer. 1 The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) comprises over four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula with 30 million inhabitants. According to an incidence report published by the Saudi Cancer Registry in 2017, BC ranked top among women and contributed to 18.1% of all cancers. 2 Breast cancer accounts for 30.9% of all cancers cases reported among women of all ages, with median age of 51 years (range= 20-117 years) at the time of diagnosis. 2 In 2010, BC was the ninth leading cause of death among women in KSA. The incidence of BC is expected to rise in the coming years in KSA due to population growth and aging. Timely diagnosis of at-risk or affected patients can help reduce the BC-associated mortality. Despite the proven effectiveness of BC screening in reducing mortality, low uptake rates have been reported in Arab women. Three main screening methods are used in KSA: self-breast examination, clinical breast examination (CBE), and mammographic screening. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends mammography for screening BC every two years for women aged 50-74 years. 3 Mammographic screening is considered the gold standard for BC screening, reducing mortality by 23%. 4 Mammography was introduced in KSA in 2002. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health provides free mammography screening services. A nationwide BC screening center
The first national public breast cancer screening program in Saudi Arabia
Annals of Saudi Medicine, 2010
B reast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. Incidence and mortality have reached a plateau and appear to be dropping in both United States and parts of western Europe. 1,2 This decline has been attributed to several factors, such as early detection through the use of screening mammography and appropriate use of systemic adjuvant therapy. 3 Breast cancer is influenced by multiple risk factors, which can be classified into 4 groups: first, family history/genetic background, which accounts for approximately 15% of all breast cancer cases. 4 The second and the most well-known risk factor for breast cancer, can be linked to the hazardous effects of hormonal exposures such as early age at menarche, late age at menopause, 5 fewer number of children and nulliparity, late age at first birth, 6 little or no breastfeeding and long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). 7-12 The third is high breast density, which has been shown to be one of the most significant markers of breast cancer risk; 13 and the fourth, a history of benign proliferative breast disease. 14
Breast Cancer Knowledge and Screening Practice among Women in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Journal of contemporary medical sciences, 2022
This study aimed to estimate the level of current knowledge regarding breast cancer in Saudi Arabia. We assessed the knowledge of breast cancer risks, the knowledge regarding the BSE and mammogram in Saudi Arabian females using a survey-based study. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered survey to assess the knowledge and practice of Saudi women toward Brest cancer examination. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS program. Results: A total number of 499 surveys were collected. The data showed that there was general lack of practice of BSE in the sample only 186 (37%) reported that they practiced regular BSE and only 16 (3%) reported that they went to the clinic for breast examination. Among all participants around 54% had poor overall knowledge of breast cancer 65% had poor knowledge regarding breast cancer risk and 93% had poor knowledge regarding clinical examination. Surprisingly, 56% had good knowledge regarding the clinical picture of breast cancer. Conclusion: This clearly showed that the lack of breast self-examination, mammogram and clinical examination is not a result of total lack of knowledge but due to lack of knowledge regarding risks and examination. This set of data provide a guideline for the focus and planning of future breast cancer awareness campaigns.
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide. Despite its relatively low incidence in Saudi Arabia, breast cancer has been the most common cancer among Saudi women. 4 In fact, it is the single leading cause of cancer death for women of 20 to 59 years of age 5 , thus posing a major public health concern. It is ranked highest amongst all the malig-nancies seen in Saudi women, comprising 21.8% 9. It is generally of a high grade, and is locally advanced at the time of diagnosis 11. The high incidence of breast cancer in young Saudi women should be addressed by evaluating the roles of early detection and prevention programs 6. It is now well established that early detection provides survival advantages to the women with breast cancer. Mammography, which detects breast cancer at earlier stages, is a major step in reducing the risk of death from this disease. It was estimated to prevent approximately 20% to 40% of all deaths from breast cancer among women undergoing screening mammography 12-15. The existing screening program for breast cancer in Saudi Arabia includes mammograms for the women 40 years of age or older 6. In our study, we have evaluated the effectiveness of the prevalent screening/diagnostic program in early detection of breast cancer in the population of Ma-jmaah. This has been a retrospective (5 years) and prospective (one year) study to enable us to assess the goals of early detection. Thereby, the reduction in the overall morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer can be achieved. Our data also affirms the need of the easily accessible population based screening program to achieve the above goal.
The Development of Breast Cancer Screening in Qatar (January 2008 – April 2015)
Evidence based Medicine and Practice, 2016
Qatar has one of the highest age-adjusted breast cancer incidences in the Arab world. Although this is much lower than the incidence in the West. Breast cancer incidence in Qatar was 45 per 100,000 in 2003-2007. 53 per 100,000 in 2008-2011. These higher incidence rates in Qatar are mainly due to the growing population. The prevalent age group, between both Qatari and non-Qatari patients, was 40-50 years old. This suggests that the age-specific incidence of breast cancer in Qatari women is shifting more to a pattern usually not seen in Western nations where median age at diagnosis is 61 years of age, moreover the diagnosis is often at advanced stages of breast cancer. These factors, together with reconfirmed evidence of mortality benefit from breast cancer screening trials, led to establishment the first hospital based mammographic breast cancer screening program in Qatar. It uses a distributed model of mammography service. The program accepts eligible asymptomatic women at age between 40-69 years and was launched in 2008. It adopted international standards of breast screening practice and breast cancer detection.
Objective: To assess level and determinants of knowledge about risk factors and utilization of screening methods used for breast cancer early detection among adult Saudi women in Al Hassa, KSA. Study Design: cross-sectional descriptive. Participants and Methods: A total of 1,315 Saudi adult females were included, selected through a multistage stratified sampling method from ten primary health care centers. No previous history of breast cancer, attendance for routine services or accompanying patients were prerequisites for eligibility. Participants were invited to personal interview with pre-tested validated questionnaire including inquiries regarding knowledge, screening practices including clinical breast examination (CBE), mammography, individual breast cancer risk factors and perceived barriers towards (CBE). Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied; logistic regression was conducted to determine the possible correlates of knowledge. Results: Overall level of knowledge regarding risk factors and appropriate screening was low and dependent upon educational and occupational status. Early screening is underutilized among participants due to several perceived barriers. Clinical breast examinations were employed by less than 5% and mammography by only 3% of cases. A positive family history was found in 18% of cases among first and second degree relatives, and 2 % had a prior history of benign breast lesions. Conclusion: Included women, irrespective of their educational status, had knowledge deficits regarding breast cancer risk factors and underutilization of the recommended breast cancer screening. Several barriers are contributing to such knowledge deficits and screening behavior.