Türkiye sees 27,000 annual breast cancer diagnoses; radiotherapy key to survival

In Türkiye , approximately 27,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. The importance of radiotherapy in breast cancer treatment has been highlighted, as it plays a crucial role in preventing tumor recurrence and achieving lasting results.

Professor Uğur Selek, president of the Turkish Radiation Oncology Association, noted during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October 1-31) that early diagnosis and effective treatment methods significantly increase survival rates, emphasizing radiotherapy as a key treatment option.

Selek explained that radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation to target and destroy cancer cells, often applied after surgical intervention. He stated, "It has been proven effective in preventing disease recurrence and achieving lasting results, especially following breast-conserving surgery."

Selek also pointed out that radiotherapy is tailored to each patient, leveraging advanced technologies to minimize damage to healthy tissue while focusing on the cancerous area.

This approach allows patients to experience fewer side effects and return to their daily lives more quickly, with treatment sessions typically being short and allowing patients to continue their daily activities.

Despite its effectiveness, radiotherapy can have side effects, including skin redness, dryness, itching, burning sensations, fatigue, and, though rarely, hardening of breast tissue. These side effects usually improve after treatment.

Associate Professor Şule Karabulut Gül, a board member of the Turkish Radiation Oncology Association, noted that breast cancer is the most common cancer type among women. She described it as malignant tumors that develop in the milk-producing glands and ducts of the breast, adding that around 27,000 women in Türkiye are diagnosed each year.

While breast cancer primarily affects women, Gül warned that it can also occur in men, urging those with a family history of the disease to be vigilant. She highlighted various risk factors for breast cancer, including tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, never having given birth or giving birth later in life, not breastfeeding, hormone therapy, and carrying BRCA1-2 mutations.

Gül emphasized the importance of lifestyle changes to reduce breast cancer risk, such as avoiding tobacco, exercising, and consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

She advised that individuals with multiple family members diagnosed with breast cancer should seek medical advice and screening. Additionally, undergoing radiotherapy for other conditions can increase breast cancer risk.

For early detection, Gül recommended that women aged 40-69 undergo mammography every two years, stressing that early diagnosis enhances treatment success. She outlined the symptoms of breast cancer, which include the presence of a lump, retraction of the nipple, a dimpled appearance of the breast skin, discharge from the nipple, and swollen lymph nodes under the arm.

The Ministry of Health recommends monthly self-examinations starting at age 20, and free mammograms are available through the Cancer Early Diagnosis, Screening, and Education Centers (KETEM) every two years as part of the national screening program.