Cancer can be treated successfully if diagnosed early - Dr Siti Hasmah

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- Women should fend off shyness and go for early breast cancer screening, as early diagnosis can reduce the risk of death, said the Prime Minister's wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.

She said early detection of the disease was very important because it can help and improve their chances of recovery.

Breast cancer screening was now easier and less painful with the advances in breast health technology, she said.

“We as women should always be aware and teach our children about the dangers of breast cancer,  or should I say it can be a curable disease now. We should do our part and be grateful, and take care of what God has given us,” she said when officiating the Intraoperative Radiotherapy  treatment for breast cancer at the Prince Court Medical Centre in the capital today.

Dr Siti Hasmah said the public should have the awareness that cancer screening should be done at an early stage even if they have no family history of cancer.

The Prime Minister's wife also shared the experiences of cancer patients, namely her own sister, the late Datuk Paduka Saleha Mohd Ali, who had five types of cancer although their family had no history of the disease.

“My sister Saleha, I am sure you all know her. She had a few types of cancer. She had brain tumour, and then she had breast cancer, and had gastrointestinal stromal tumour and then the most serious one that led to her death was uterus cancer…she was our only sibling who had all these cancers,” she said.

Dr Siti Hasmah said awareness of breast cancer was less prevalent because of societal factors who still think it is taboo and inappropriate to talk about to the public.

She said it was the responsibility of the government, private sector and non-governmental organisations to continue efforts to disseminate knowledge on cancer which is the number one killer of women in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA