Today is World Breast Cancer Day. We want to join in the fight against this disease by reflecting how much its diagnosis and treatment has changed, which has led to the fact that today the vast majority of patients overcome the disease.
“Doctor, if necessary, expand my breast but, please, cure me”, this phrase has been heard by Dr. Galofré in his office and more than one woman will feel identified with it. It is the reaction provoked by the fear of suffering breast cancer. The suspicion of suffering from the disease is surely the greatest burden for these women and the fact is that even today, cancer is a word we all fear and do not even want to hear about.
The best thing for Dr. Galofré, coordinator of the Endocrine, Breast and Gastric Pathology units at the Hospital de Sant Joan Despí, is to be able to explain to his patients that they are going to be cured and for this it will not always be necessary to resort to excision. Advances in recent years have made it possible to change the results of this disease and more and more women can proudly say that they have overcome breast cancer.
The importance given to diagnosis and prevention is one of the most important changes for Dr. Galofré in order to have more success in the treatment “early diagnosis is one of the most important advances since it allows us to look for the disease when it is also early”. On the other hand, changes in surgery, which is much less aggressive, have made it possible to minimize the consequences of the cancer “the breast is no longer removed, but lumpectomies are performed”, adds the Doctor.
All this is undoubtedly good news for all women and, on a day like today, they should be reminded that cancer is survivable. In fact, even though it is the second most common cancer in women (it occurs in one in ten women), 90% of patients are alive within 5 years of being treated. This figure is much higher than that of other cancers and gives patients great hope.