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'shocking statistics': poll finds majority of breast cancer survivors felt unprepared for diagnosis

the breast cancer canada survey also found that most canadian women feel confident in the ability of doctors to diagnose and treat breast cancer, while more than half of men reported not knowing where to find information on breast cancer if they needed it.

by emma jones
published sep 14, 2022
last updated feb 16, 2023
read time 3 minute read
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read time 3 minute read
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men reported not knowing where to find information on breast cancer
further education on screening for breast cancer and where to request it can play a major role in the health of canadians. getty
a majority of survivors felt unprepared for a breast cancer diagnosis, according to a new poll released by breast cancer canada (formerly the breast cancer society of canada). results of the poll were shared yesterday to announce a new era for the breast cancer society of canada and its know more campaign. created around the message that knowing more about breast cancer will mean no more breast cancer, the campaign aims to increase awareness of the latest research on breast cancer.
of the participants who were previously diagnosed or had a family member diagnosed with breast cancer, 87 per cent said they felt unprepared for the diagnosis — a number that kimberly carson, ceo of breast cancer canada, calls “shocking.”
“in february of 2021, the world health organization (who) declared breast cancer the most diagnosed cancer in the world,” carson told attendees. “ … the part that really, really bothered all of us the most is that almost 90 per cent [of patients], if they were diagnosed, would not be prepared. given that it’s the number one cancer diagnosed in the world [these are] shocking statistics.”
an estimated one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and one in 34 women are expected to die from the illness, according to the canadian cancer society. breast cancer makes up roughly 25 per cent of the totally cancer diagnoses every year.

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dr. jean seely, a professor of radiology at the university of ottawa, is calling for women age 40 and up to get regular mammograms.
in 2021, more than 27,000 women in canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer, the canadian cancer society says. getty

earlier breast cancer screening reduces rates of later advanced cancers, research shows
research using canadian cancer registry data reviewed the data of 55,490 canadian women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2017.
dr. jean seely, head of breast imaging at the ottawa hospital and professor at uottawa’s faculty of medicine, says she and others are “actively asking” the ontario government to include women over 40 in the routine annual breast cancer screening program. “it would save lives.”
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but despite the prevalence of the condition in canada, the poll also found that 26 per cent of women are not concerned about getting breast cancer because it is not common in their families. and more than half of male respondents (57 per cent) said they wouldn’t know how to help or where to look for help if a woman in their life was diagnosed with breast cancer.

should we self-screen for breast cancer?

when it comes to self-screening for breast cancer, the canadian cancer society recommends the best method of detection is to be aware of what’s normal for your own breasts — from under the armpit all the way up to the collarbone — and discuss any changes to your doctor. symptoms of breast cancer include a change in size or shape of the breast, dimpling on the breast itself, discharge from the nipples, a rash around the nipples or swelling in the armpits.
as for how canadians feel about critical diagnoses, the poll’s findings showed that we have faith in the medical system. seventy-four per cent of respondents said they trust health-care professionals to identify, diagnose and treat cancer, while 68 per cent also feel their doctors are informed on the best or latest treatment information.

latest research casts doubt on canadian screening guidelines

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breast cancer canada
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the results of the breast cancer canada poll comes on the heels of a university of ottawa study which found that not screening women for breast cancer in their 40s may lead to higher rates of advanced breast cancer diagnoses in their 40s and 50s. no doubt that further education on screening for breast cancer and where to request it can play a major role in the health of canadians. (this study was not part of the breast cancer canada survey.)
“women who are not screened in their 40s are presenting with later stage breast cancer in their 50s,” co-lead author dr. anna wilkinson said in a news release. “this means more intensive treatment and a worse prognosis for these women than if their cancers were diagnosed at an earlier stage.”
canadian guidelines for screening for breast cancer were changed in 2011, recommending against screening women aged 40 to 49. from 2010 to 2017, there was a 13.6 decrease in diagnoses of stage 1 breast cancer and a 12.6 increase in stage 2 for women in their 40s, according to the study. the incidence of stage 2 breast cancer also rose by 3.1 per cent for women in their 50s.
the canadian breast cancer network and canadian cancer society did not respond to requests for reactions to the poll results by the time this article was posted.
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correction 2022-09-14: a previous edition of this article incorrectly referred to the breast cancer society of canada as the canadian breast cancer society. we regret this error.
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on instagram and twitter @jonesyjourn.
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