Treating Breast Cancer in Rwanda

October is considered the Breast Cancer awareness month, Dr. David .D. Lazaro an Oncologist at King Faisal Hospital explains the different stages of cancer and its treatment.“Cancer stages are based on the size of the tumor,” he said. In the first and second stages a tumor is minute or at least two centimeters small while in the third stage a tumor is between two and five centimeters. At these stages surgery is applicable as long as the tumor has not spread to the auxiliary lymph nodes. The fourth and fifth stage is when the tumor is five centimeters then chemotherapy and radiotherapy is suitable. According to his one and a half-year study conducted on 48 of his patients, 25 women between the ages of 40 to55 years came for treatment with tumors in the third and fourth stage. “Sometimes patients who come here have already seen a doctor and probably done surgery but tumors have not been fully removed or they didn’t know they had breast cancer. I have never once received a patient in their first stage,” he said. Dr. Lazaro said that most breast cancer patients come for treatment while in the third and fourth stage of the disease, but have responded to the treatment. One of Dr. Lazaro’s patients who preferred anonymity is undergoing treatment at King Faisal Hospital. She said she was not spared from cancer even after she lost her husband to lung cancer in 2005. “I got to know that I have breast cancer in July this year although I first felt a lump in my left breast in 2009. When I started feeling sharp pain in my breast, I came here and I’m undergoing Chemotherapy treatment,” she said. “The treatment is expensive and medication is limited to a few Pharmacies at a price of Rwf30,000 yet two bottles are supposed to be administered every 21 days.” “I feel like I have fully recovered as compared to when I started treatment; sleeping and sitting upright was difficult due to the unbearable pain, but now that has changed.” Dr. Lazaro said his patient reported to the hospital when the tumor was beyond five centimeters but with treatment it has reduced and there is a possibility of surgery. “I advice women to always have self-tests and if you feel something unusual in your breast then its better to visit a doctor to make a diagnosis rather than discovering the disease in its late stages when it’s incurable,” Dr. Lazaro said. Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer. There are several ways to create awareness and some of these include charitable campaigns, walks, posters and writing slogans about the cause on items such as pens, T-shirts, cups and on social websites. Most websites around the globe go pink during this month of October to bring attention to the Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Dorau20@yahoo.co.uk