THE BREAST CANCER COUNSELLOR AND BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION IN A MAMMOGRAPHY CENTER

A breast care counselor is not universally available even in all mammography centers abroad. However the concept is catching on and such services are being provided at more centers. The counselor could only serve the purpose of preventive oncology in helping increased awareness of breast cancer. Usually, the counselor, a trained health care nurse with a vast experience with mammography procedures, teaches women the method of Breast Self Examination (BSE). BSE may help detect only a few cancers; however it plays an important role in increasing awareness about breast cancer.

In our experience, we find that women are more comfortable discussing their fears and worries with other women who know about breast cancer. The counselor plays an important role in allaying fears about a mammography and hence increases patient comfort and co-operation leading to better quality mammograms. The breast care counselor, hence, bridges the gap between a physician and the patient. In addition, like in our case, breast care counselor can take over the function of initial detailed physical examination of the breasts. That is of course an important responsibility and needs thorough training.

EVERY LUMP FELT IN THE BREAST IS NOT CANCER

This is a major myth which often leads women to fight shy of disclosing their problems. A lump felt in the breast may often be benign – i.e. it is not cancerous.

Fortunately eight out ten lumps in the breast are benign. A mammography can often predict whether a tumor is benign (i.e. cancer). Cysts, fibroadenomas and fibrocystic disease are some of the benign conditions which present with a lump. These conditions are non-cancerous and harmless.

" We cannot sit back and just watch, we need to do something. Our approach should be that the more we know about a disease, less the fear we would have."

And at JUSTEVES that is what we strive for - less fear; more knowledge