High occurrence of breast cancer due to lack of awareness: Dr Lopamudra Das Roy

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: "High occurrence of breast cancer among women of developing countries including India is due to taboo, lack of awareness and stigma to share with family members and doctors," said Dr Lopamudra Das Roy, an internationally acclaimed breast cancer biologist and also the director and the founder of USA-based Breast Cancer Hub (BCH) in a programme at Women's College Tinsukia on Friday.

Addressing a house-packed gathering of students and teachers on the topic titled 'Decoding Breast Cancer Challenges-Steps towards saving lives' that was organised by college's Women's Studies & Development Cell in association with its NSS unit, Dr Das Roy while expressing deep concern on high incidence of the disease in North East India viewed that breast cancer can be cured if detected and treated early. Traditional treatment that were being practised by rural people and even educated urbanites had in most cases aggravated the situation, she said. She suggested periodical screening and self-examination of breast.

Dr Das Roy with 20 years of experience in research and teaching in several institutes in India and abroad including University of North Carolina at Charlotte, National Cancer Institute and Department of Defence (USA) gave up professional career and formed BCH with registration at North Carolina in 2017 to take on fundamental challenges related to healthcare at grass root level particularly in developing countries.

In context of India and developing countries she said, "Breast cancer screening is a low priority and the knowledge of breast self-examination and other screening methods is very limited that resulted in high death rate."

She also highlighted the mission of BCH that included awareness & education, community outreaching & screening camps, adopting villages, patient treatment aid and research. The organisation can be reached at www.breastcancerhub.org and also through number of chapters opened across India including Assam.

She pointed out that their services are free of cost and all donations are driven towards mission of BCH. There was a lively interactive session with students that followed. She exhorted students to ask their mothers to undergo screening. The programmed was anchored by Suprity Shyam, coordinator WSDC Women's college.

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