Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening – The role of the Primary Care Physician
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the commonest cancers in women globally and specially in India. It leads to a considerable health care and economic burden, affecting both morbidity and mortality. October is observed as breast cancer awareness month. Screening is the most beneficial method of early diagnosis which enables timely intervention and treatment. Unfortunately, rate of screening in India is low as compared to western countries. This is due to barriers and challenges including population size, socio-cultural diversity, lower access to specialty care, and economic limitations which need to be overcome. Therefore, a risk based targeted approach by improving awareness and recommending screening at the primary care level with family physicians rather than a mass age/gender-based screening approach may be more relevant in India to help build a firm foundation for breast cancer screening, and improving its efficiency and benefits.
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