Life after breast cancer, the beautiful possibility

“I was diagnosed of breast cancer four years ago. The news shook my world. But look at me today. I am well. I am happy. Because of the fact that the mammogram test could detect the cancer at a very early stage, I did not have to go through chemotherapy or radiation. I want to educate women of the foreseeable advantage of this test,” Sandy Jayasooriya, a breast cancer survivor spoke with conviction. Sandy is one of many survivors who won the battle against breast cancer; the most common cancer among women, the world over. 

The fourth Can-Sur- Vive workshop held at the Lanka Hospitals 10th floor auditorium on 1 October, focused on the lives of breast cancer survivors like Sandy and their role in society. The Can-Sur-Vive Trust, a CSR project, is conceived by Lanka Hospitals PLC Consultant Oncological Surgeon Dr. Naomal Perera and holds quarterly meetings for the benefit of the survivors, with the main purpose being to register as many survivors for additional assistance they may require with their everyday lives.

“I am perplexed as to why women are reluctant to undergo the mammogram test,” Roshini Silva, another breast cancer survivor said. “It is not painful at all. I have done over six mammograms after being cured of breast cancer in 2009. If not for this test, I would have had to undergo advanced cancer treatment. I am cancer free today because the mammogram helped diagnose the condition at a very early stage.” 

Lanka Hospitals houses the latest, state-of-the-art digital mammogram machinery that ensures minimal discomfort and lowest radiation to patients. The latest of its kind, Fujifilm, Amulet Innovality has the highest sensitivity to detect breast cancer at a very early stage while having the capability of performing breast biopsies and localisation procedures.

Lanka Hospitals Consultant Radiologist Dr. Kalyani Miranda states that the digital mammogram offers a myriad of benefits to patients, including tomographic views, that ensure the capacity to examine even the most minute abnormality in the breast. “Breast cancer is 100% curable if detected early. The digital mammography machine at Lanka Hospitals produces millimetre cross sectional images of the breast in 3D perspective and is completely pain free as opposed to the traditional mammography machine that is 2D and only takes two images of each breast,” Dr. Miranda stated. “The machine is also able to perform what is called ‘Vacuum excision biopsy’ under local anaesthesia. This is the removal of calcification or any malignant mass in the breast with minimum intervention ensuring very fast recovery time to the patient. This procedure can be done as an out-patient within a few minutes and the patient can be completely cancer-free at the end,” she further added. 

The newly launched Lanka Hospitals Women’s Wellness Centre now offers complete privacy and confidentiality to female patients and renders patients over 35 years of age with the freedom to walk in and opt for a mammogram test without a doctor’s referral.

“Research shows that 1 in 10 women over the age of 50 in the western world are diagnosed with breast cancer. However, the chance of breast cancer going unnoticed has reduced drastically due to early detection although it is the most common cancer among women in the world,” stated Dr. Miranda. “If a woman has a family history of breast cancer, an annual mammogram is necessary, with 10 years of grace in advance from the age the family member was diagnosed with it. In other words, if your family member was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40, you should get the first mammogram done at the age of 30 and every 18 months after that. So even if you have a family history, you can undergo early detection and rule out any possibility,” added Dr. Miranda. 

Marking Breast Cancer Awareness month, from 1 to 31 October, Lanka Hospitals Women’s Wellness Centre offers a 10% discount on all Breast Cancer Screening packages.