According to Mehr news agency, citing the Motamed Cancer Research Institute, Dr. Ramin Sarami Forushani, the head of the Motamed Jihad University Research Institute, stated: The sixth screening and awareness campaign about breast cancer is the initiative of the Motamed Cancer Research Institute and with the cooperation of various institutions, including municipalities and organizations in charge of the area. Salamat coincides with the month of October (International Breast Cancer Awareness Month) from October 10 to November 10.
Increasing public awareness and early detection of breast cancer
Emphasizing the importance of raising public awareness about breast cancer, he said: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and is the most important cause of death due to cancer in women, while early detection can lead to treatment. help this disease faster and less expensively and reduce the death rate caused by it significantly.
He added: With the aim of increasing public awareness and encouraging self-care, this campaign encourages women to perform periodical examinations and refer to specialized centers. Relying on a wide network of specialists and medical centers, Motamed Research Institute organizes various programs throughout the country for screening and educating the general public in this field.
Expanding the activities of Motamed Cancer Research Institute
The head of Motamed Research Institute pointed out the important role of this research institute in providing treatment and research services in the field of breast cancer and said: Motamed Research Institute as the first and only comprehensive educational, research and treatment center active in the field of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the country. It provides more than 200,000 medical services to women every year. This year, we are planning to expand the scope of our screening and treatment services to more regions of the country by using the national cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment network and the network’s provincial units.
He continued: We are also looking to strengthen the existing infrastructure and use advanced technologies to improve healthcare services. For this reason, we have made many collaborations with various institutions, including municipalities and other public and private institutions.
Free examinations and screening and providing educational packages
The head of the Motamed Cancer Research Center pointed to the free examinations and said: In the framework of this campaign, the specialized centers of the Motamed Research Center in Tehran and other cities conduct free examinations and screenings for women. We predict that the number of examined women will increase by 300% compared to last year due to the increase in capacity.
He further emphasized: In addition to examinations, we have also prepared various educational packages that will be widely distributed. These packages include educational materials in the field of self-care and early detection of breast cancer, and their purpose is to raise women’s awareness and prevent the disease.
Support and cooperation of public institutions
Sarami Forushani pointed out the role of public institutions in the success of this campaign and said: Tehran municipalities and other cities have cooperated widely in the field of installing information billboards, distributing educational brochures and also providing suitable spaces for free examinations and consultations with us. These measures play an important role in increasing public awareness and encouraging women to screen and diagnose cancer in time.
In this meeting, he announced the development of a specialized test to calculate the chance of getting cancer and said: This test can accurately determine how much each person is at risk of getting cancer.
Pointing out that the Motamed Cancer Research Institute is the only specialized center that has managed to get a license to use the kit for detecting the need for chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, Dr. Sarami Forushani said: “This license gives us this possibility.” to provide these services exclusively. This service helps doctors to determine treatment protocols in a more optimal way and avoid unnecessary treatments that have side effects.
Emphasizing the value of this test, he added: This test helps doctors and patients to avoid unnecessary and expensive chemotherapy. While similar tests in other countries may cost several thousand dollars, we have been able to provide this service at a much lower price domestically.
Sarami Forushani also mentioned the challenges of sending samples abroad and said: “It is very difficult to send samples to specialized companies in North America and time is very crucial for a person with cancer.”
The ability of elite youth
Expressing his happiness that the elite youth of the country have been able to launch this test (Mamunivap) inside the country, he emphasized: With the support of the Ministry of Health, we have succeeded in launching this test in the country, which can definitely be effective in improving the treatment process of patients.
This news can bring new hope for cancer patients and their families and shows the country’s remarkable progress in the field of cancer research and treatment.
He further mentioned the environmental factors that can play a role in the occurrence of breast cancer and said: Various factors such as environmental stress, nutrition and living conditions can be effective in this field.
Emphasizing that the Motamed Cancer Research Institute does not work only in the field of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Sarami Forushani said: We are trying to deal with issues related to cancer in a more comprehensive way. It includes topics such as nutrition and psychology that are presented as complementary therapies. One of the characteristics of our research institute is that we seek to create a complete treatment package.
The recovery party is held
He also mentioned the recovery celebration that will be held on the occasion of breast cancer awareness month in October and added: This year as part of this celebration, we will honor the recovery. Last year, we observed how modern technologies in the field of diagnosis and treatment at Motamed Research Institute saved the lives of patients and they benefited from these services.
The head of Motamed Cancer Research Institute pointed out the importance of screening and timely diagnosis of cancer and said: The discussion of screening and timely diagnosis is not limited to the month of October. Unfortunately, in our country, the health system is treatment-oriented, and after complications occur, we face heavy costs. While in developed countries, prevention is done at lower costs and has fewer complications.
He continued: With this approach, we conduct screening independently and in cooperation with various institutions. Our teams with the best specialists and equipment are sent to the most remote and deprived parts of the country, including the southern cities of the country, and they examine thousands of people.
Saying that in these screenings, there are problems in accessing medical facilities and equipment, Dr. Sarami Forushani clarified: In many of these areas, the technical and software facilities are very low. However, we were able to identify several cases of high-risk individuals with cancer and send them to medical centers in Tehran.
He added: Timely diagnosis is very important. Even in the organizations we screened, people with high university education were diagnosed with cancer. This shows that cancer can easily affect any person, while he is unaware of his condition.
In response to questions about the chance of survival and recurrence of cancer, he said: The chance of survival and recurrence of cancer depends on the time of diagnosis. New technologies with genetic methods can determine the chance of recurrence. We have launched a specialized test to calculate this chance at the research institute. This test is provided exclusively with the permission of the health reference laboratory and helps doctors to better determine treatment protocols.
Sarami Forushani continued: This test, which is similar to it in foreign countries, is very expensive, now it is developed and performed locally in our country. With the support of the Ministry of Health, the license for this service has been issued in our research institute.
Free breast cancer screening in Bijar city
He also mentioned the future plans of the research institute in line with free breast cancer screening and said: On the 24th of October, we will have a program for screening in Bijar city. Our teams go to the most deprived areas of the country with love and belief and provide free medical services.
In the end, he said: genetic predisposition is also important in getting cancer. If several people in a family are affected by cancer or if someone is affected at a young age, the probability of cancer being genetic increases. In these cases, genetic counseling is provided for the entire family, and we have set up a comprehensive medical center to examine genetic profiles and measure the chances of developing cancer in families.
Dr. Alfat Bakhsh, breast cancer surgeon and vice president of educational research at Motamed Jihad University Cancer Research Center, also stated in the press conference of the beginning of the 6th national screening in October: According to statistics, this year we are witnessing the occurrence of about 16 thousand new cases of breast cancer in the country, which indicates This disease is on the rise.
He pointed to the increase in the incidence of breast cancer in the world and said: These statistics show that Iran is on the same level as the neighboring countries in terms of the prevalence of breast cancer.
The Vice-President of Educational Research of Motamed Research Institute pointed out the statistical changes in the age of diagnosis and added: Many people ask why breast cancer is observed in people under 40 years of age. The fact is that our population is aging and the average age of diagnosis in Iran has reached 45 years. Meanwhile, in western countries, this average is over 50 years.
He also mentioned the 25-year experience of Motamed Cancer Research Institute in the field of breast cancer and said: This research institute has turned from a simple research and treatment center into an advanced research institute that provides treatment and research services as a complete package. We have a specialized treatment team that includes radiologists, surgeons, breast cancer fellows, pathologists and pathologists.
Dr. Alfat Bakhsh further pointed out the main goal of this campaign and said: Our goal is to increase awareness and breast cancer screening. We consider it our duty to do more awareness activities this month than any other organization.
Referring to the cooperation with the municipalities of Tehran, he noted: We have started our planning a month ago and with the cooperation of eight districts of Tehran municipality (Districts 16, 10, 13, 22, 4, 14, 19 and 6) we have provided services to women. We will provide free breast cancer screening examination.
Alfat Bakhsh added: This cooperation will include the rental of cultural centers to hold educational programs and attract women for free examination.
Dr. Alfat Bakhsh explained: Free examinations will be held in the Gandhi building of Motamed Research Institute from 21 to 25 October every day from 9 am to 1 pm. Women can call 02188641398 and 02188791207 to make an appointment.”
At the end of his speech, he pointed to the positive effects of the previous campaigns and added: In the past years, about eleven thousand people have been examined for free, and more information has been obtained about the detection of breast cancer cases in these people. We hope to increase public awareness with this survey and be able to identify new cases in time.”
Dr. Mohammad Darzi, a member of the academic board of Motamed Cancer Research Institute, also raised two key points in this meeting in response to a question about the relationship between heredity and breast cancer. He said: About 25% of cancer cases, especially breast cancer, are hereditary. But it should be kept in mind that cancer is a multifactorial disease in which the role of genetics and environmental factors are both effective.”
He pointed out the importance of the combination of environmental and genetic factors in the occurrence of cancer and said: In fact, the combination of these two factors can lead to the formation of cancer. For example, inhalation of chemicals and air pollution are environmental factors that have a direct effect on the structure of the genome and can lead to tumor formation.”
Darzi then pointed to the program of the National Cancer Prevention and Control Network, which has been assigned to the Motamed Research Institute, and said: This network requires constant interaction with the media so that we can increase awareness at the community level. Darzi stated that the issue of cancer should be raised as a cultural issue in the society, and asked the media to cooperate in the direction of creating a culture in the field of cancer prevention.
A member of the faculty of Motamed Cancer Research Institute emphasized: According to the 20-80 criterion, 80% of resources should be focused on prevention and only 20% should be allocated to treatment. Treatment in the advanced stage of cancer is more difficult and less successful. For this reason, our main goal in this campaign is to increase public awareness, especially among women, and encourage screening.”
We must reduce people’s fear of going for screening
He added: Cancer Research Institute, as a part of academic jihad, shows its cultural mission through this campaign. If we can create a culture of prevention in all research and development centers, we will be successful in controlling cancer. In addition, the experience of developed countries in this field shows that success in treatment has been less than in prevention.
In the end, Darzi said: We must reduce people’s fear of going for screening so that any conditions for the formation of cancer can be identified and treated in the early stages.
These statements by a member of the academic staff of Motamed Cancer Research Institute emphasize the necessity of creating a culture in the field of prevention and awareness about breast cancer and show the importance of synergy between research institutes and the media to improve the public health of the society. Treatment in the advanced stage of cancer is more difficult and less successful. For this reason, our main goal in this campaign is to increase public awareness, especially among women, and encourage screening.
He added: Cancer Research Institute, as a part of academic jihad, shows its cultural mission through this campaign. If we can create a culture of prevention in all research and development centers, we will be successful in controlling cancer. In addition, the experience of developed countries in this field shows that success in treatment has been less than in prevention.
In the end, Darzi said: We must reduce people’s fear of going for screening so that any conditions for the formation of cancer can be identified and treated in the early stages.
These statements by a member of the academic staff of Motamed Cancer Research Institute emphasize the necessity of creating a culture in the field of prevention and awareness about breast cancer and show the importance of synergy between research institutes and the media to improve the public health of the society.
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