Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and breast cancer ranks first with 2.26 million cases from almost 10 million deaths in 2020.
In this context, within the framework of World Breast Cancer Awareness Day, which is commemorated every October 19, the specialized Breast Cancer Clinic and the Oncology and Gynecology Departments of the San Juan de Dios General Hospital, make a call for prevention and awareness raising to remind the general population about the importance of early detection, joining the motto “I am and I am going to”, which seeks to reduce the impact of cancer and work together for a better life expectancy.
Breast Cancer and Covid-19
Given the current situation of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the patients of this healthcare center have had to adapt to new, complex and unknown conditions, aware of being a group at risk for this pathology; It is important the commitment to maintain the virus containment standards to face the pandemic, including vaccination to better preserve the lives of cancer patients and timely access to necessary treatments that help reduce the risk of complications or of death.
“The prevention of COVID-19 infection associated with Breast Cancer has made the San Juan de Dios General Hospital reinforce biosafety measures to provide care for oncology services, actions that have been fundamental to protect patients (mostly women) as well as the staff, making appropriate use of personal protective equipment according to the level of risk exposure ”, states the Executive Director, Dr. Gerardo Hernández.
Patients seen at HGSJDD
In 2020, 5 thousand 565 patients were treated in the Hemato-Oncology Outpatient Clinic despite the Pandemic and currently in the Oncology Unit of the San Juan de Dios General Hospital, the following volume of patients is treated each month:
- Patients with new cancer diagnoses: 35 to 40
- Patients with a new diagnosis of breast cancer: 15 to 20
- Patients in Re- consultation and treatment for cancer diagnosis: 350 to 400
- Patients in Re- consultation and Treatment for Breast cancer: 280 – 300
These patients diagnosed with Breast Cancer are also cared for by a multidisciplinary group that includes specialists in: Gyne-Oncology, Breast Surgeons, Medical Oncologists, Nutrition and Psychology, among others.
In addition to the need to fight Covid-19, breast cancer is an ongoing disease, so it is important to recognize that this pandemic has had a significant impact on early detection programs, something that is essential to maintain now that have been shown to be effective for the early diagnosis and control of the disease, which translates into better and longer survival for these patients, which can reach between 90-99% in the early stages of the disease.
Therefore, it is necessary for all women with cancer to attend for an early diagnosis and timely treatment.
On World Breast Cancer Awareness Day, the San Juan de Dios General Hospital reiterates its commitment to the population and calls on the population to learn about this disease and the measures to take in the face of this pathology and, above all, insist on the importance of prevention and early detection of the disease.
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