Manchester records highest number of breast cancer

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

MANCHESTER HAS the highest incidence of breast cancer in the central region, with 14 per cent of its women diagnosed with the disease, according to the Mandeville Regional Hospital (MRH).

Clarendon records a three per cent rate of breast cancer while St Elizabeth has 10 per cent rate.

According to the latest study done by the General Surgery Department at the Mandeville Regional Hospital, in 2013, 50 per cent of all females with breast cancer from the region were at an advanced stage of the disease: three and upwards.

Speaking at the 11th staging of the MRH and South Central Medical Association of Jamaica Research day on Monday, Dr Marlon Brown, resident in the Department of general surgery, MRH, said while younger patients tend to present with benign (not cancerous) breast lesions and older patients with non-benign (cancerous) breast legions, consistent screening is necessary.

" ... as you get older, the number of breast cancer [cases] increase while you still have some amount of benign lesion occurring. How do you differentiate between a lump that is benign and a lump that is non-benign: This is where we urge more persons to come and get their breasts tested and come and get your screening done."

Unable to accommodate all persons, Dr Brown said patients are advised to visit private facilities as the inadequacies of the public system are many.

"The overlap in the section where screening should occur, in some countries it does occur, in our country there's a lack because of financial problems on both the patient as well as the institution, lack of ultrasound or mammography etc. We have to be quite savvy in how we organise our patients, how we stratify them, tell them when to come to the clinic and when we are going to do their biopsy. Currently, we have two clinic dates per month with up to 60 to 80 persons for breast pathology," the medical doctor explained.

Citing geographic locations and ethnicity as a few of the possible factors causing the increase, Dr Brown made suggestions to stem the rate.

"If we could get the promotion of breastfeeding, it would help to decrease the incidents of breast cancer. Another factor could be the geographical location, it has been mentioned informally that the bauxite factories being in and around this parish could contribute to the increase in terms of soil condition," said Dr Brown.

He added: "My recommendation is for a national breast screening programme, improved pathology department, breast cancer registry for the region and improved document data management at Mandeville Hospital from operating theatre and clerical staff."

rural@gleanerjm.com