City to get dedicated breast care clinic from January 14…..Sonal Shukla
The city will soon get a dedicated breast clinic to treat all breast related problems including cancer.
The civic-run KEM Hospital will open the Breast Care clinic on January 14 to provide services such as breast cancer screening, surgical services, chemotherapy, management of breast pain and cancers, post-operative physiotherapy, psychiatric counseling and endocrinology.
“We wanted to create an additional facility close to the Tata Memorial Hospital to provide comprehensive care and rehabilitation to women for breast cancer and other breast related problems,” said Dr Sanjay Oak, dean, KEM Hospital.
The hospital’s out patient department receives more than 100 patients with breast related problems every month.
The women visiting the clinic will be taught self-breast examination, which can help detect breast cancer early.
“A lot of women who come to the hospital when the cancer is in advanced stages,” said Dr Shilpa Rao, general surgeon and in-charge of the breast clinic. If breast cancers are detected in the early stage, the chances of survival in women increase by up to 80 %.
According to doctors, such a clinic will help ease pressure on the Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel.
“Women have certain fears about visiting a place branded as a cancer hospital. They are more comfortable coming to a general setup,” said Dr Rao.