Chen Shoudong, chairman of the Taiwan Breast Medical Association, artist Xu Weining, patient Tracy, and Pan Yiling, chairman of the Taiwan Young Patients Association (left to right) remind women to pay attention to breast health.

(Photo by reporter Qiu Zhirou)

[Reporter Qiu Zhirou/Taipei Report] Every October is International Breast Cancer Prevention and Control Month. The age of breast cancer patients in Taiwan is decreasing year by year, and the age at which it occurs is 10 years younger than that in European and American countries. Many women who are sprinting in the workplace, organizing families, and chasing their dreams are welcome. Bad news.

Chen Shoudong, chairman of the Taiwan Breast Medicine Association, said that the current breast cancer treatment is diversified and precise. Cancer patients no longer have the option of "total mastectomy". With the help of early preoperative adjuvant therapy, in addition to the opportunity to preserve the breast, they can also observe the tumor in advance. The response to the drug is conducive to subsequent treatment control.

Tracy, a 44-year-old patient this year, shared that in 2019, she felt a "small steel ball"-sized lump on her left chest. Later, the small lump suddenly grew bigger, which made her realize that the situation was serious. After seeking medical treatment, she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer. At the moment, it was like "sentenced to death".

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Later, through "early preoperative adjuvant therapy", chemotherapy and dual-target therapy, Tracy successfully reduced the 3.1 cm tumor to 1.3 cm. After breast-conserving surgery and actively cooperated to complete the follow-up targeted drug course, the postoperative prognosis is good.

Tracy said that breast preservation can reduce the discomfort and caregiving after the surgery, allowing her to have more physical strength to continue to face follow-up treatment, and more time to focus on her family, life or work.

Chen Shoudong said that the help of early preoperative adjuvant therapy has subverted the previous concept of "surgery first". For patients with large tumors or high risk of lymphatic metastasis, not only have the opportunity to shrink the tumor before surgery, reduce the stage of breast cancer, and increase the safe distance of surgery. , reduce large-scale excision or eliminate lymphatic dissection, and can observe the tumor's response to drugs in advance to facilitate subsequent treatment and control, and can also improve the chance of breast-conserving surgery and quality of life, and prolong and improve disease-free survival for patients. Overall survival.

Chen Shoudong mentioned that the types of breast cancer suitable for preoperative adjuvant therapy include HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancer.

Among them, dual-target preoperative adjuvant therapy, according to the results of a large-scale 8-year clinical trial abroad, can reduce the risk of recurrence or death by 23% in high-recurrence patients; patients with high-risk lymph node metastasis in early breast cancer can reduce the recurrence rate by 28% or death risk.

However, at present, Taiwan's targeted preoperative treatment is only covered by health insurance once. If you want to use dual targeted, the second targeted drug needs to be paid for about 400,000 to 500,000 yuan.

The latest cancer registration data of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2019 shows that the incidence rate of female breast cancer is the first among all cancer statistics. In third place, 1 in 12 women may develop breast cancer.

The Taiwan Breast Medicine Association, the Taiwan Young Patient Association, and the breast cancer society "Flower Girl GOGOGO" jointly held a press conference today, and collaborated with artist Xu Weining to shoot the annual breast cancer health education video "Keep the most happiness, give your breasts back to yourself", reminding women to pay attention to Breast health, regular screening, early screening and early treatment.

Xu Weining, who serves as the annual health education ambassador for breast cancer, also shared that her mother established her awareness of breast health very early. When she was in the third grade of primary school, she would do breast self-examination, such as checking breast shape, whether there is abnormal nipple discharge, and observing breast pain. Feeling wait, when she was 27 years old, she felt a lump in her breast like a mung bean. She immediately had breast ultrasound and photographic examination. The doctor judged that it was due to the influence of premenstrual hormones. She was relieved that the lump disappeared on its own. But it also pays more attention to breast health and regular screening every 2 years.

Pan Yiling, chairman of the Taiwan Young Patients Association and founder of the breast cancer society "Flower Girl GOGOGO", said that the survival rate of breast cancer treatment has increased, but it may still recur and metastasize later in life. Assuming an average life expectancy of 80 years, young cancer patients diagnosed in their 30s Friends have to worry about for 50 years, so young cancer friends pay more attention to the quality of life in the future. A decision on breast cancer surgery will have a lot of impact. We call on cancer friends to put their needs in the first place. Medical trends, discuss feelings and fears with professionals, and learn about the latest medical news in order to get appropriate help.

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keywords

  • breast cancer

  • targeted therapy

  • breast

  • mastectomy

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