In her statement, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevda Yılmaz, faculty member of the Department of General Surgery at PAU Hospitals, said:

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and profoundly affects many women and their families every year. When breast cancer is diagnosed early, survival rates are high and more treatment options are available.

In the United States, Susan Goodman Komen was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33 and died from the disease at just 36 in 1980. Believing that her sister’s treatment might have been successful if she had known more about the disease and its treatment, her sister, Ambassador Nancy Brinker, founded the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in 1982. This marked the establishment of the first foundation dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. In October 1986, the foundation, widely known as Komen, began organizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities for the first time. The pink ribbon became associated with breast cancer after the foundation distributed pink ribbons to participants at an event in 1991.

The World Health Organization later designated October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and awareness events and educational activities on the subject have since been organized in Türkiye every October. Thanks to these events and awareness programs, as well as national screening programs conducted by the Ministry of Health, breast cancer can now be detected at earlier stages, leading to a corresponding increase in cure rates.

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related illness and death among women in Türkiye and worldwide. It develops when cells in breast tissue grow uncontrollably. The most common sign of breast cancer is a palpable lump in the breast. Such a lump may be noticed by the patient or detected during breast screening. These lumps are generally painless, firm, and irregularly shaped.

Swelling or asymmetry in the breast, dimpling or an orange-peel appearance of the breast skin, erythematous or ulcerative lesions, inversion of the nipple, itching around the areola, nipple discharge, and swelling in the armpit may also be signs of breast cancer.

It is possible to detect breast cancer through screening before these symptoms appear, and starting treatment at an early stage increases the likelihood of success. Therefore, early diagnosis and screening are crucial in the fight against breast cancer.”

Early diagnosis increases treatment success

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevda Yılmaz noted that cancer screening in Türkiye is carried out at Cancer Early Diagnosis, Screening and Training Centers (KETEM), with guidance and coordination provided by Family Health Centers, which deliver primary healthcare services. She continued:

“Individuals aged 40–69 are invited for mammography every two years. Those with suspicious findings are referred to breast surgery or general surgery outpatient clinics. Studies have reported that mammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality by 20%.

In addition, women receive information about breast self-examination at KETEMs and outpatient clinics to increase breast cancer awareness. Although the effectiveness of breast self-examination in screening and diagnosis is debated, it remains important for raising awareness of breast cancer, understanding its significance, and helping individuals become familiar with their own bodies.

For screening purposes, a clinical breast examination is recommended every three years for women aged 20–39 and annually for women aged 40 and over. In addition to organized screening programs, opportunistic screening using clinical breast examinations and/or mammography should also be offered to women who visit outpatient clinics for any reason.

In conclusion, breast cancer ranks first among all cancers in terms of incidence, making it essential to raise public awareness of the disease to support early diagnosis.”