Lima.- Breast cancer is the main cause of cancer death among young women in Latin America. According to the Department of Breast Surgery and Soft Tissues of the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases (INEN), this incidence is higher in Peru compared to what occurs in other countries, since the casuistry of breast cancer in children under 40 years of age is from 5% to 8%, a higher percentage than the 6% or 7% registered elsewhere.
Likewise, in Lima and Callao, breast cancer in women exceeds cervical cancer, with 42% and 35%, respectively. According to experts, cases of breast cancer in children under 14 years of age are very rare, almost zero. However, at the beginning of this year, it was announced that, in Chile, a 7-year-old girl was diagnosed with breast cancer. Undoubtedly an extremely rare but real case.
Dr. Silvia Neciosup, past president of the Peruvian Society of Medical Oncology and INEN medical oncologist, explains that there are indicators that show that a person is more likely than others to develop breast cancer. Likewise, the evolution of the disease is often associated with family history.
“For example, this is worse if it is especially a sister, mother or daughter who has suffered from the disease. This risk increases if the relative who has had cancer has done so before menopause, or if it has affected both breasts. Likewise, it is more complicated if the patient has previously suffered from another cancer, such as ovarian or colon cancer, or previous breast cancer in one of the breasts”, commented the expert.
According to Dr. Silvia Neciosup, breast cancer is the cancer with the highest incidence among the female population in Peru, along with cervical cancer; however, the latter has been reduced thanks to the papanicolau tests that are carried out every year and with the papillomavirus vaccines. For this reason, the specialist points out the importance of cancer prevention, since it is possible to overcome the disease as long as it is treated early.
