Misconceptions about breast cancer screenings still exist in society

IPOH: There is still a group of educated women sceptical about undergoing breast cancer screening due to various misconceptions.

National Cancer Society of Malaysia’s (NCSM) managing director Associate Prof Dr M. Murallitharan said one of the reasons for this challenge is due to the belief in pseudoscience.

He said one of the misconceptions from this pseudoscience is that when one does mammograms and other screening tests, one develops breast cancer.

“This is a wrong perception and one popular fake news that a lot of women in these categories fall for.

“That is one reason we carry out various programmes including the free mammogram programme which is into its sixth phase now,” he told a press conference after Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim graced the event (free mammogram) at a hotel here on Wednesday. (June 5).

Started in 2017, the programme now in its sixth phase is being jointly carried out by NCSM and Etiqa, especially for the underprivileged women.

Dr Murallitharan added that under this programme a lot of counselling, awareness and engagement sessions, and screenings are held to address individuals’ misapprehensions.

Although the programme focuses on underprivileged women both in urban and rural areas, Dr Murallitharan said the society also worked with other government agencies to address issues faced by women from other socioeconomic backgrounds in regard to breast cancer screening.

He also said that working with cancer-related non-governmental organisations and when cancer patients and survivors themselves go down to the ground to speak about their own experiences is an added value.

He said when they speak, it gives other women confidence that those in their age group are also in the same boat, and this gives a ray of hope for them to take the next step forward.

“Also to combat the misconception of the educated group, the society is aggressively training healthcare professionals.

“These days the role of doctors is no longer a one-dimensional relationship with their patients, but doctors must take a different approach to becoming influencers and they must do additional convincing.

“Thus NCSM is starting such training in every state and district where doctors, nurses and medical students will be trained to act as micro community influencers to start convincing people to overcome this fear, as well as to combat fake news,” he added.

On the sixth phase of the free mammogram programme, he said this time around, Sabah and Sarawak would be included as well.

“Under the programme, we will be going to the remote and interior areas, some of which require the use of boats to reach the villages.

“Our target is to reach out to some 6,000 women nationwide under this phase. From phase one to five, some 27,500 women had undergone mammogram screenings in ten states.

“Yearly about 40% of women that undergo screening examinations are new clients, meaning these people have never undergone any form of examinations related to breast cancer before this.

“This is an important target for us, and we are keeping on point by reaching to people who are unreachable by other means,” he added.

A breast cancer survivor, Linda Pereira, a retired dentist, said her world came crumbling down when a doctor informed her in 2008 that she had breast cancer.

The 62-year-old mother of two said she cried so much after coming out of the doctor’s room at a hospital in Sarawak.

“My two daughters were only nine and five at the time. However, with the support of my husband, I went for a second opinion in Kuala Lumpur and underwent surgery and radiation.

“That was some 16 years ago, but I still undergo regular check-ups and joined the Pink Unity, a support group under NCSM to help create awareness,” she added.