Younger women need breast cancer checks, health experts warn

According to a 2010 study by the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, however, Arab women are more likely to develop breast cancer at a much earlier age than their counterparts in Western countries.

Dr Houriya Kazim speaks, with female Emirati weightlifter Amna Al Haddad, at the 85 Broads Global Forum last year. Christopher Pike / The National

DUBAI // Doctors say the increase in breast cancer cases among younger women in the UAE presents a new challenge in the fight against the disease.

“The incidence of breast cancer in women under 40 years of age is on the rise in the UAE,” said Dr Houriya Kazim, consultant breast surgeon at the Well Woman Clinic, Dubai.

“What makes this trend especially worrying is that breast cancer in younger women is generally more aggressive, and less likely to have a sustained response to treatment than in older women.”

The percentage of women who have breast cancer diagnosed in the UAE is similar to the global average.

According to a 2010 report by the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies however, Arab women are more likely to develop breast cancer at an earlier age. Research at the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar last year supported the findings, saying the disease appears in Arab women on average 10 years earlier than among women in Europe.

Dr Kazim said: “Many young women tend to think that breast cancer cannot happen to them, and as a result develop a false sense of security about their risks for developing the disease.

“While it is more common in women over 40 years of age and those with a strong family history of the disease, the truth is that breast cancer can affect women regardless of their age, racial group, genetic factors or reproductive history.”

She said only 20 per cent of patients had a family member who had been affected by the disease.

“So, the rationale that no one in the family has had breast cancer cannot be an excuse for avoiding screening,” she said.

A mammogram can, on average, diagnose a cancerous lump three years before it becomes palpable.

Dr Kazim said a healthy lifestyle was important. “Limiting alcohol, abstaining from smoking, and exercising regularly can go a long way towards reducing the risk of breast cancer,” she said.

Linda Berlot is a breast cancer survivor and an ambassador for the BurJuman Mall’s Safe & Sound campaign. She said: “Early detection is the key to effective treatment and often makes the difference between life and death.”

This month, UniCare – BurJuman’s medical partner for Safe & Sound – is offering discounted mammograms, reduced from Dh550 to Dh200. UniCare is also giving away 10,000 free clinical check-ups.

The BurJuman Pink Walkathon will be held on October 31 at Zabeel Park in Dubai.