Download Specialists of the Armenian-American Wellness Center urge women

Women's Month - Mammography Center In Armenia
Urges Women To Regularly Undergo Breast Examinations
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter - 22/3/2016
Specialists of the Armenian-American Wellness Center urge women to undergo
breast cancer examinations at least once a year, not to be ashamed and not
to be afraid to see a doctor, as cancer identified at an early stage is
curable.
According to Khachanush Hakobyan, the Executive Director of the ArmenianAmerican Wellness Center (Mammography Center), the disease has become
"younger", starting to affect women at younger age, so testing just once a
year is considered mandatory.
On the occasion of Women's Month (a period between March 8 and April 7,
which is unofficially considered to be a time for celebrating womanhood in
Armenia) there were discounts in the center for ten days, during which more
than a thousand breast examinations were conducted.
"The results were alarming. I do not want to terrify the population, but
call on people to be mindful of their health, the disease has become
younger. It's a pity, but we feel that people are often reluctant to
consult a doctor due to financial problems or they have some complexes.
They need to get rid of these complexes and necessarily undergo a medical
examination," says Hakobyan.
As many as 29 cases of breast cancer were found after examinations of 1,009
women, 103 women were diagnosed with having a tumor, and it is still to be
confirmed whether these tumors are benign or malignant.
Within the same period, a breast cancer was found with one man out of nine,
who had undergone medical examinations.
Hakobyan says that the center has carried out 3,020 examinations since the
beginning of the year. As a result, they have found 133 cases of cancer.
There are doubts concerning 46 patients. A total of 301 cases of benign
tumor were identified as well.
"We have conducted 1,272 gynecological examinations and have found five
cases of cervical cancer. One patient was in precancerous condition," says
the center's director.
Specialists explain that early diagnosis significantly increases the
chances of successful treatment. They urge women at the age of 40-45 to
undergo breast ultrasound examination, and older women to have mammography
examinations.
Center radiologist Hovhannes Vardevanyan says that many patients, who have
breast cancer or with whom potentially dangerous changes are detected, come
for medical examination without any symptoms or complaints. The problem
found with such patients is usually detected at an early stage, which gives
them a greater chance of recovery.
Hakobyan says that some women prefer not to know about the problem, rather
than go to the doctor and get a diagnosis.
"But this approach is outdated. In the 21st century, we shouldn't forget
how important the prevention of the disease is. If there is a problem in
our body, it means that it's already there. And the ostrich policy is the
most illiterate approach to their own health," she says.
According to her, the most difficult thing is to first undergo a medical
examination, and then, when a woman learns that everything is fine, she
feels much more relaxed and confident, knowing that there is not anything
terrible in it. Next year, the woman undergoes the same examination much
more easily.
Within the period of 20 years of its existence the Armenian-American
Wellness Center has examined nearly 500,000 people, as a result of which
10,000 cases of cancer were detected, 5,000 of which were in an early
stage.
http://armenianow.com/society/health/70773/armenia_health_center_breast_can
cer_khachanush_hakobyan