Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi, founder and CEO of the Sheikh Mohammad Al-Amoudi Center of Excellence in Breast Cancer, said that early detection of breast cancer increases recovery chances by 90 percent and controls it from spreading.

Speaking to Arab News, Dr. Al-Amoudi said that breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and dangerous types of cancer affecting women and the most widespread among them as well, adding: “It is also one of the most significant causes of death among women which is why its early detection is crucial to control it from spreading.”

She pointed out that one woman out of eight is prone to be affected by breast cancer during her lifetime.

“The threat in the Kingdom is that a large number of cases go detected in its advanced stage which reduces recovery chances. Therefore, early detection is the best way to discover the illness in its early stages, either by monthly self examinations or in the clinic by the doctor. But most important of all is the mammogram screening,” she said.

She added that the word cancer has a scary effect on women as it is directly linked with near death. The effect extends to include the lifestyle of the women on the pragmatic, social and marital levels, and this is why women avoid seeing a doctor. They would rather keep silent on the subject.

“But it is a widespread phenomenon in the Kingdom, and alarming at the same time which impels us to look from a different perspective at the whole issue. Every woman should seriously realize the importance of facing the illness, the sooner the better, as early detection increases recovery chances, and helps control it from spreading.”

Dr. Al-Amoudi has focused on two important elements that may define the future of any female patient. One is the size of the tumor and the other is whether the tumor is confined to the breast area only and has not spread to other parts of the body.

“A large tumor is a much worse than a small one contained only inside the breast area. If after examination the doctor finds that the milk glands are cancerous this clearly shows that the tumor has spread to other parts of the body, may be to the lymph nodes,” she explained.

Early detection, confirmed Al-Amoudi is one of the best strategies for recovery and control of the disease, especially in low to medium-income countries where resources are scarce and the disease itself is detected in its late stages.

She pointed to some medical reports that clearly prove the feasibility of early detection in increasing recovery chances.

In a related subject, a number of government and private sectors in the western and eastern areas have formed a health alliance to combat breast cancer by launching awareness and educational events that will target one million women. The campaigns kicked off starting from early October. The efforts come in the context of the campaign launched under the slogan “the Kingdom is Rosy,” where pink trucks will roam all regions of the Kingdom to raise awareness of breast cancer. The event is organized by the Saudi Cancer Society in the Eastern Province. The launch in Jeddah was attended by Dr. Khaled Bawaked, the assistant director of health affairs, Sheik Abdulaziz Alturki, chairman of the Board of Directors at the Saudi Cancer Society, Dr. Fatima Al-Milhim head of the Early Detection Committee at the Saudi Cancer Society and head of the campaign in the Eastern Province.