Medical Rational for the Be Aware Program
I have been a breast cancer surgeon for more than 30 years and during that time period I have personally diagnosed thousands of women with breast cancer. I have seen incredible progress in term of early detection which for the most part is related to the implementation of mammography screening programs. I have also seen major progress in terms of less aggressive and more effective treatment. In addition, I have been amazed at the progress that has been made in understanding the basic biology of breast and the development of new drugs that provide what can be best described as “magic bullets” to effectively treat some of the most aggressive cancers with minimal side effects.
Despite the major progress that has been made, it is still common for me to see patients in whom the diagnosis has been delayed. These delays often lead to the need for more aggressive treatments and lessen the chances for survival. My best guess is that in more than 20% of women in my practice have experience some form of treatment delay which has adversely influenced their prognosis and that the percentage is much higher in the underserved population.
View 5 year survival rate based on stage at diagnosis and cost of care per stage at diagnosis charts.
The Be Aware program is designed to educate, motivate and inspire women to follow early detection guideline. We believe that though our programs, our monthly reminder system, and our website, we can achieve our goal ensuring that if breast cancer is to be diagnosed it will be caught at the early possible stage. |
