Dubai: Breast cancer continues to feature among the top five cancers in the UAE and remains the number one among women, say doctors.
The others include colorectal, cervix, uterus and lung cancers. As the country observes breast cancer awareness month, doctors say it is important to get women of all ages to go in for preventive screenings and encourage self-examination to combat its rising prevalence.
Oncologist Dr Houriya Kazim says breast cancer continues to have an alarming incidence in UAE in particular and the Middle East in general. “About 22 per cent of all cancers seen in the UAE are breast cancer, accounting for a quarter of all cancers put together. Moreover, the median age of breast cancer in the UAE is around 45 years while in the USA and Western Europe it is around 62 years. This alarming trend stretches to the most of the MENA region and Indian Subcontinent and is a cause for concern.”
Dr Kazim advises women to go in for regular and preventive screenings. “In general, the earlier most cancers are caught, the better chance of a successful treatment outcome. Early diagnosis may also mean less treatment with no need for chemotherapy or radiotherapy, said Dr Kazim.
It is expensive to battle breast cancer. While the Dubai Health Authroity’s Basmah initaitve provides insurance cover for the underprivileged women in the essential basic package, the average cost of cancer treatment ranges from Dh300,000 to Dh600,000 or more, said Dr Kazim. ”Most of the mandated health insurances have a cap of Dh150,000 which does not even cover the smallest cancer.” Being alert, vigilant, regular in self examination and mammograms is the best option for all women.
In a moving tribute to the resilience of women who survived breast cancer, Ford that has been successfully running the ‘Warriors in Pink’ campaign in the Middle East for eight years created a documentary on these ‘models of courage’. The documentary with a powerful narrative is to be screened in Dubai on October 15. Gulf News asked three survivors to share their empowering and inspiring stories.
Lisa King: “I am expecting my first child in November this year.
40, director — consumer and health care practice at Asdaa
“I first noticed a lump six months before I was diagnosed at the age of 35 which my doctor said was nothing to worry about so I completely forgot about it until I noticed the lump again.
“I was diagnosed with Grade 1 breast cancer in 2013. I was lucky it wasn’t aggressive and they managed to catch it at a very early stage. It was a massive shock. I never expected to be walking out of there with a cancer diagnosis. I was in no pain, I was the fittest I had ever been, I was running 10km. I didn’t feel unhealthy or anything. There was no indication at all, maybe it’s fate that I just happened to notice it again and wanted to have it checked.
“Getting rid of cancer isn’t a quick process. Luckily, I didn’t have to have chemotherapy, but I had a lumpectomy to have it removed, followed by a six week course of radiotherapy — which is every week day, and three years on tamoxifen.
“I felt very lucky that it was one of the most treatable forms of breast cancer. For me, the whole experience gave me an entirely different perspective. When I was in London, I worked very long hours, I was single and focused on my career and I don’t think I really had the right work-life balance. “
So King embraced her life with new enthusiasm and met her husband on a skiing holiday, she participated in a gruelling bike challenge to raise £10,000 (Dh48,314) for the Royal Marsden Hospital for breast cancer research.
“For me, cancer has been an extremely positive thing. I got married, we moved to Dubai three years ago, and we’re now expecting our first baby in November. I still go to London twice a year for check-ups, but I feel very fortunate to have lived through cancer and feel it has given me an entirely new outlook on life.”
Claire Pedersen: “I feel I’ve been given more time to be with the people I love”
52, talent development manager, Ford Middle East and Africa
With a hereditary history of breast cancer, Pedersen was very alert about her periodic check-ups, until in 2016, she missed her regular examination by a few months.
“I felt a lump on my left breast — I knew something was wrong immediately and went for my check and yes the mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy confirmed breast cancer (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) and started chemotherapy immediately before conducting surgery and radiotherapy due to its aggressive nature.
“2017 was a ‘big blur’ for me — the year’s treatment consisted of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and radiation. But I’m feeling amazing now. I’ve been through the worst and I’m in my first year of actual recovery. It’s been about 10 months now. I’m feeling very, very good!
“Last November upon receiving my first clearance check, I celebrated; bought chocolate-coated strawberries for the office and came home and celebrated with my husband. It was a lovely, lovely, feeling. I feel, I’ve been given some more time to be with the people I love, and time to appreciate everything we’ve worked for.
“Having had cancer definitely changes one’s outlook on life. Personally, I don’t take things too seriously anymore, this includes career stress, or argument with the kids or husband. It’s just an argument, it’s just something that has happened at work, there’s nothing to it. Where previously I used to make a mountain out of a molehill, I now find myself letting things blow over and think that whatever is going to be is going to be.
“My advice to women is simple. Ladies need to be screened every year — even if they don’t feel it’s necessary. Statistics now indicate cancer is not discriminatory — age is not a factor — young women are now at risk too. If you are able to catch the cancer before it gets to stage two or three, it’s a lot easier to deal with. Conduct self-examinations. You know your own body, and you’re able to notice changes in your body before anyone else.”
Ghadeer Kunna: “I feel blessed to have lived through cancer”!
49, battled Stage 3 breast cancer, works as a Policy and Strategy advisor, Sudanese American
Kunna’s ordeal began at the age of 29 when she was living in California and despite no history of breast cancer in her family, experienced the development of lumps in her breast. A health freak she was doing everything right and was the least likely candidate for breast cancer. “I was into organic foods before anyone was talking about it. I was also very slim and very active, had no family history of breast cancer, so there was no reason to suspect anything,” she recalled.
An examination by her GP found several lumps in her breast which turned out be benign on detailed examination, but Kunna was not satisfied. “I still felt something wasn’t quite right — so we settled on a plan that I would go in for an ultrasound every four months, and a mammogram and ultrasound (because my breasts were dense) every year. And I kept doing that until 2006, when I came to the UAE, through to 2010 when things started to change out of the blue. The doctor told me that there had been a mutation in the cells, and that they weren’t sure why.”
Her worst fears were proved true when in early 2013 she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer; so aggressive that the oncologist asked her to begin chemotherapy the same day. “I had been given a clean chit in November 2012 and in January 2013 this cancer was diagnosed which the doctor said had already spread to my right lymph node, and that my chemotherapy would have to start immediately,” recalled Kunna.
- Ghadeer Kunna | Cancer survivor
“To be told you have breast cancer is a shock. The last thing you really want to hear is that it’s an aggressive type.
“Chemo started that day, and I made a deal with my doctor that she wouldn’t tell me how many sessions were planned. I knew I had to fight, and it didn’t matter how many times I had to go in for this treatment. I told them I didn’t want to know until it was the one before the last. Meantime, I had to fight and survive each day.”
She underwent very painful type of chemotherapy but is grateful as she says it saved her life.
“I decided the ball was in my court and I wasn’t going to let cancer beat me. There were things I couldn’t change — but there were things I could control, and one of them was my hair. I wasn’t going to just wait and let it fall; I went ahead and shaved it.”
She opted for a double mastectomy in September 2013.
Her message to other women is to give up the stigma and fear of diagnosis. “I think many women resist being tested, not through fear of diagnosis. Talking about your breasts should not be a stigma. I think women fear the consequences of the disease. We don’t talk about this as much as we should; how many partnerships break up because of this … Across all cultures, all countries. And this is one of the reasons some don’t want to come forward and talk about being survivors. Being a cancer survivor makes you very powerful,” said Kunna who has been in remission for five years now.
