Editor’s note: Each Friday in October, The Dispatch will publish an article centered on breast cancer awareness.
In his 19-plus years as an oncologist, Dr. Wail Alnas has seen steady advancements in breast cancer treatment.
And while there have been advances at every stage — from diagnosis to post-treatment therapy — one of the biggest steps forward is information and awareness.
In 1985, the American Cancer Society established October as National Breast Care Awareness Month. It might be just another month on the calendar to some, but Alnas sees a correlation between what the public has learned about breast cancer and how it is treated.
“A lot has changed since I started in this field, but just the level of information that people have now, to me that’s one of the biggest things,” said Alnas, who has worked at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle for 12 years. “People understand it better. They are more aware, and that’s particularly important when it comes to knowing what to look for. Breast cancer, like any disease, is far easier to treat when you identify it early.”
The awareness of breast cancer and the financial support that has followed has meant steady improvements in every stage of treating the disease, Alnas said.
“It seems we have a big break-through about every 10 to 15 years — from the development of the mammogram to chemo-therapy and radiation. Today, the biggest development is probably in the area of adjuvant chemotherapy.”
Alnas said adjuvant chemotherapy involves giving breast cancer patients low doses of chemotherapy after the cancer cells have been removed. It is a preventative measure, helping prevent the cancer from reappearing. Research shows breast cancer patients of all ages benefit from the therapy, especially women under age 50.
“There are still far too many people who die as a result of breast cancer, but there has been real progress, and the survival rate for breast cancer patients has increased over the years,” he said. “That’s the good news. It’s not uncommon for patients who have even late-stage cancer to live eight, 10, 12 years.”
Not all of the developments in breast cancer treatment are medical.
An emphasis on understanding the emotional and psychological trauma that accompanies the disease has compelled hospitals to look for ways to reassure patients.
At Baptist, one of those measures was to establish an infusion center, a dedicated space where patients can have their therapy in a less-crowded, more comfortable environment.
“Depending on the patient, the infusion process can be anywhere from three to four hours to all day,” said Jan Terrill, nurse manager of Baptist’s infusion center. “The infusion center allows the patient a little more privacy in a bright, comfortable environment. We have our own lab and pharmacy and nursing staff. We definitely believe it has really made our care much better.”
For his part, Alnas said he is awaiting the next big break-through, and while he has no idea what that might entail, if he had a preference, it would be in the area of screening.
“Lately, there has been some thought that mammograms should be not be something done on an annual basis,” Alnas said. “I don’t share that view. While I understand the thinking, I think it’s more a matter of the equipment than the benefits. If our mammogram technology was better, I don’t think anyone could really argue against annual mammograms. But even as it is, having an annual mammogram is better than not having it.”
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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