First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum21st March 2010

Al Hashimi II Ballroom – SAS HotelKuwait

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

About Breast Cancer

Dr. Salah FayazDr. Salah FayazConsultant Radiation OncologistConsultant Radiation Oncologist

Head of Breast Cancer Unit , Radiation Oncology Department - KCCCHead of Breast Cancer Unit , Radiation Oncology Department - KCCC

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

• The majority of breast tumors are benign tumours (almost 90%)

• The incidence of BC in the US is as follows: 1 out of 8 ladies in the US is subject to developing BC & this incidence increases yearly by 1 to 2 %

• As for Kuwait, the incidence of BC is increasing yearly as per the Cancer registry issued by KCCC. The median age of patients is 10 years less than the international statistics.

• The BC incidence in Kuwait for the year 2006 is 46.9 cases for each 100,000 ladies.

• Death from cancer causes comes in the third place after death from heart diseases & car accidents.

In The Name of God

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Although the incidence of cancer in increasing globally but the incidence of death due to that cause is decreasing due

to the following 2 reasons:

• Early detection through the screening programs done by radiological

• Scientific advances in the treatment approaches

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Ladies role in prevention from BC in regards to habits & nutrition:

• Breast feeding

• Decrease alcohol drinking

• Decrease the exposure to hormonal replacement therapy

• Weight control, no obesity

• Healthy food like vegetables, fresh fruits & decreasing fats

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Risk factors of BC:

• Age at the start of monthly period (puberty)• The date of first pregnancy• Repetition of pregnancy• Breast feeding• Abortion• Menopause• Hormonal replacement therapy after menopause• Family history with BC• Improper nutrition & increased fats• Exposure to pollutants like tobacco, raditions• Benign breast tumours & repetitive surgical interventions with it

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Ways of diagnosis:

• Disease history, physical examination & finding a mass, breast pain, secretions, etc

• Breast imaging, CT scans, MRI

• Tumour biopsy

• Pathology test for the specimen

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Identifying the stage of the disease:

• Blood testing

• Lung imaging, liver, bone scans if needed

• After the investigations, the stage is identified which can be 1 of 4 stages according to the tumour size, involvement of lymph nodes, extent of metastasis

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Main ways of treatment:

• Surgery

• Chemotherapy

• Radiotherapy

• Hormonal therapy

• Targeted therapy

• Palliative therapy

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Surgical treatment

• Breast conservative surgery, some lymph nodes, plastic surgery in the early stages

• Mastectomy, other lymph nodes in advanced cases

• Plastic surgery after mastectomy

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Radiotherapy

• What is radiotherapy?

1) Treatment with high energy radiation equipments on the breast area & lymph nodes2) Radiotherapy comes after conservative surgery3) Radiotherapy comes after mastectomy at some stages4) Palliative radiotherapy for some advanced BC cases

• Side effects:

1) Superficial effects on skin in some cases which is easily managed2) Technological advances have decreased the side effects on other body organs as lungs & heart

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Chemotherapy:

• Medications administered Intravenously or orally

• Can be started before surgical intervention in order to help on breast conservative surgery or mastectomy

• Adjuvant treatment after surgery which aims to decreasing the probability of disease recurrence and increasing cure rates

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Side effects:

• Depends on the type of chemotherapy or targeted therapy

• An important side effect for women is hair loss

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

• Immuno-suppression

• Many treatments are now available to overcome those side effects

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Hormonal treatment

• Depends on the lady’s age

• Many hormonal treatments as:

- Ovarian oblation, stopping ovarian activity by

radiation for ladies who don’t need to get

pregnant

- Medicines taken either intravenously or orally

according to the case

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Side effects:

• Depends on the age & type of treatment

• Stopping the activity of ovaries in young age, side effects similar to menopause might appear

• Some medications have side effects like osteoporosis & joints pain

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

At the end:

• Health Awareness & routine check ups are the main ways of avoiding cancer & if happens then the cure from it

• Changing the daily life style to the better

First HAYAT Annual Patients Forum – 21st March 2010 – SAS, Kuwait

Thank You

Dr. Salah FayazDr. Salah Fayaz

Consultant Radiation OncologistConsultant Radiation OncologistHead of Breast Cancer Unit , Radiation Oncology Department - KCCCHead of Breast Cancer Unit , Radiation Oncology Department - KCCC