Three out of 100 Filipinas are prone to breast cancer, according to the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care citing the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Health.
Men, too, get breast cancer — one in 1,000 Filipinos, said the Philippine Cancer Society.
Dr. Mitos Cabral, endocrinologist at the St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City, said breast cancer could not be easily detected until people feel certain lumps felt in their breasts.
“There should be a self-breast exam, touching your breast to know if there are uncommon lumps that you have not felt before. You could consult your OB-Gyne or your doctor to know the right way to do a self-breast exam,” Cabral said “There should be a self-breast exam, touching your breast to know if there are uncommon lumps that you have not felt before. You could consult it to your OB-Gyne or your doctor to know the right way to do a self-breast exam,” said Cabral who was interviewed on Daily Tribune’s GisingNa! program.
Cabral added that consultation and breast examination are also important for older people and those with a history of breast cancer in the family.
With the advancements in medical technology, chances of treating breast cancer are now high due to several known treatments like hormonal therapy, and lump and breast removal.
However, Cabral said that treatment is possible as long as the condition is detected early.
“Early detection is important as treatment is much easier if lumps are smaller and haven’t spread yet. We have patients with breast cancer that live a long life and recovered. We can even detect cases of remission or repeated detection of breast cancer in some patients,” Cabral said.
Cabral also assured patients that they’ll be able to regain the appearance of their breasts after recovery.
“There are many options and operations to regain their appearance. You don’t need to feel bad when you remove parts of your breasts or become flat-chested. There are ways to regain its appearance,” Cabral said.
For breast cancer recovery, Cabral said that follow-ups are important to constantly monitor the condition after treatment.
Dealing with the process
Detecting breast cancer in the early stages is one thing, but dealing with the condition as you live through each day is another, especially if you have been diagnosed with a severe form of it.
Breast cancer survivor Jingjing Romero discovered that she already had Stage 3 Breast Cancer during her mammogram in 2016 which led her to immediate therapy and treatment.
“After resting for a month, I started chemotherapy and then radiation treatment. In between that, pain management. I have done acupuncture three times a week. I also need to manage the pain so I started painting,” Romero recalled.
It’s through painting that she was able to cope with everyday living and recover from the condition.
Romero explained how her paintings reflect the pain and feelings she experienced while dealing with breast cancer.
“If I feel pain, you’ll see sharper colors, which means that I really have to resist what I have been feeling. The paintings all evoke happiness as it was all about my travel memories. It reminded me so much of the places that lifted my spirits,” she said.
What started as a sort of pain management and coping exercise led to an exhibit featuring her works, including a fundraising exhibit on 3 December at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Apart from dealing with the pain with art, Romero maintains a healthy lifestyle as she also has gastroesophageal reflux disease and a pre-diabetic condition.