(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Preventative measures can go a long way in reducing the risk of developing hereditary cancer, according to health experts.
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) recently hosted the annual Breast Cancer Conference 2014 to raise awareness about breast cancer prevention, its early diagnosis, detection and management.
The focus of the conference this year was hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC), which is an inherited genetic condition through which a potential cancer risk is passed down from generation to generation in a family.
During the conference, Dr Salha Bujassoum Al Bader, Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist at HMC's National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) and Director of the Breast Cancer Screening Programme said: "If you have a family history of breast cancer, it is extremely important to have your personal risk assessed by a medical professional."
She explained that tests and screening should be carried out to find out an individual's risk of developing HBOC in cases where multiple cases of early onset of breast or ovarian cancers have occurred in the same family, breast and ovarian cancers have occurred in the same woman, or male breast cancer runs in the family."
Dr Al Bader stressed that the risk of developing HBOC can be reduced with different kinds of strategies such as lifestyle changes and chemoprevention. Regular surveillance is also important.
"There are preventative measures that can be put in place to reduce the risk of hereditary cancer developing, for example surgery and some other therapies. These measures can reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer by up to 90 percent. The risk of developing hereditary breast or ovarian cancer is highest among women under the age of 45."
Dr Moustafa Hamdy, Head of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Brussels University Hospital in Belgium said: "This is a great opportunity for us to come together and talk about breast cancer; not only among healthcare professionals but also with the public. Breast cancer is not just a disease; it is much more than that. It affects the family unit as a whole. This is why we need to deal with it together as a society."
Dr Hamdy advised that people should learn to openly communicate about breast cancer. "Many people are silent about it or they try to ignore it - like it is taboo. We need to realise that ignoring it will not solve the problem. It is much better to discuss the risks and manage them, rather than wait for a cancer to progress, making it much more complicated and more difficult to treat."
HMC operates a specialised High Risk Clinic at the NCCCR, which is dedicated to evaluating and managing the risk of cancer for both individuals and their families. The clinic was established in March 2013 and incorporates a multidisciplinary approach with the presence of different sub-specialists. Women with any of the HBOC risk factors can receive medical assessment and investigation at the clinic.
Between March 2013 and April 2014, a total of 346 patients were referred to the clinic, and 253 have been reported to carry a high risk of developing hereditary breast or ovarian cancer. In addition, as part of the clinic, HMC also offers genetic counselling to high-risk patients to assess the possibility of the disease.
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