Breast care support group in offing in Pune

A breast care support group aimed at spreading awareness and encouraging people to undergo regular screening will be launched in the city by the Ruby Hall Cancer Centre on Saturday on the hospital premises.

The group will be inaugurated by Sunita Kalyani, chairperson of Kalyani Thermal Systems Ltd. Dr Shehroo Pudumjee, psychologist at the centre, said the group will be launched to deal with non-medical conditions and non-financial issues of the patients suffering from breast cancer.

“The aim is to spread awareness and encourage people to undergo regular screening. The group will also help resolve psychological and emotional problems through strong peer support network,” she said.

“We expect at least 40 patients to join this group. Patients from other hospitals are also encouraged to become a member of this group,’’ she added.

Dr Anupama Mane, oncologist at the centre, said breast cancer accounts for approximately 22% of all cancer cases in India.

“Due to the high frequency of such cases, regular screening, awareness and early detection are known to be the most significant prognostic factors in treating it early,” she said.
Statistics with the National Cancer Registry Programme, 2009, reveal that breast cancer is diagnosed in approximately 1.2 lakh Indians every year.

Breast cancer patients are known to have a high prevalence rate of mood disturbances. Fatigue and anxiety are also known to plague the patients due to the rigorous treatment schedule of chemotherapy and radiation sessions.