You are on page 1of 3

Mubadala Healthcare Experts Urge Early Detection to Increase Breast

Cancer Survival Rates in the UAE

 Breast cancer detected in very early stages of the disease is very treatable, with a 5-
year survival rate close to 100 percent
 Yet breast cancer remains a high cause of mortality worldwide, with the World Health
Organization estimating that it has accounted for 627,000 deaths already in 2018. In
the UAE, breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in
women according to the Ministry of Health and Prevention

Abu Dhabi, October 04, 2018: During Breast Cancer Awareness Month taking place throughout
October, medical experts at National Reference Laboratory and Healthpoint — both part of
Mubadala’s network of world-class healthcare providers — are highlighting the importance of
early detection to increase the survival rate of this disease. Early detection when the disease is in
its initial stages (0-II) and has not yet spread to other parts of the body requires less aggressive
treatment, and can result in a survival rate of between 93 to 100 percent. However if left
undetected and allowed to progress untreated, the survival rate of this disease drops significantly
to 22 percent.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 565 women in the UAE are diagnosed
with breast cancer per year.1 This is in spite of the cancer screening guidelines of the UAE
Ministry of Health and Prevention recommending that all women between 40-69 years of age —
and those who have a greater risk due to their family history or patient medical records —
undergo a mammogram screening examination every two years.

“Breast cancer is the number one cancer affecting women worldwide and the UAE is no
exception. Regrettably many women in the UAE are waiting until they experience symptoms
before consulting with their doctor, although in many cases symptoms of breast cancer will not
appear until the disease has progressed to a more advanced stage. In addition, many women are
unaware of their family’s medical history, thereby reducing their knowledge of their susceptibility
to the disease. Later stage diagnosis decreases the prognosis for long-term survival and makes it
more difficult to treat the disease without resorting to aggressive treatment plans,” says Dr.
Suhaila Alameeri, Consultant Anatomic Pathologist at National Reference Laboratory and
member of the National Taskforce for Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program.

A mammogram is an imaging test used as the first line clinical screening for breast cancer. If this
screening detects potential abnormalities, several other imaging and/or laboratory diagnostic
testing can be carried out to confirm or exclude a breast cancer diagnosis.

“We strongly encourage all women in the UAE to take charge of their health by perfoming regular
self-examinations and undergoing the appropriate screening tests according to their age and risk
factors. It is important for all women to know that a lump in the breast or underarm is
usually visible on a mammogram long before it can be seen or felt,” continues Dr. Mai Ahmed
Sultan Al Jaber, Medical Director at Healthpoint.

In addition, genetic testing can be used to help determine a woman’s risk of developing breast
cancer. BReast CAncer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) and BReast CAncer susceptibility gene 2
(BRCA2) testing can determine if harmful mutations are present which increase the risk for the
carrier to develop the disease. For women who inherit a BRCA1 mutation, their risk of developing
breast cancer by the age of 80 can increase from 12 to 72 percent, and for those who inherit a
BRCA2 mutation, it can increase to 69 percent. As a result, it is recommended for women with a

1
Country Profile data from World Health Organization is from 2014. http://www.who.int/cancer/country-
profiles/are_en.pdf. Accessed 26th Sep 2018
family history of breast cancer to undergo this testing to better understand their risk and to help
put in place preventative measures.

“Early detection in women with germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes allows for
planning strategies of prevention and early intervention for enhanced patient management. Based
on genomic risk, intensive surveillance programs can be implemented, including increased
frequency of mammograms,” continues Dr. Al Jaber.

ENDS

About National Reference Laboratory


National Reference Laboratory (NRL) is a Mubadala company created in partnership with and
managed by LabCorp, a leading global life sciences company providing comprehensive clinical
laboratory services. NRL’s vision is to increase the spectrum, coverage and overall efficiency of
laboratory testing, to implement international best practice reference laboratory processes and to
set the benchmark for quality standards in the region.

Together with the significant resources of LabCorp, NRL offers a comprehensive menu of more
than 4,700 tests, providing a complete solution for all clinical testing needs in an efficient and
high-quality environment that reduces both turnaround time and logistics-related costs, compared
with other laboratories. The diverse and growing network of NRL currently includes eleven owned
and managed laboratories across the UAE. For more information, please visit www.nrl.ae.

About Healthpoint
Healthpoint is the leading speciality hospital located in Abu Dhabi delivering quality personalised
healthcare. Healthpoint is a public hospital and is part of Mubadala’s network of world class
healthcare providers. The hospital has three centers of excellence - Musculoskeletal which
encompasses orthopedics, sports medicine and spine care; the Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery
Center, and the Dentistry Clinic.

The clinical and non-clinical staff are called caregivers and work as one team in a culture that
continuously aims to improve each patient’s experience, outcomes and caregiver engagement.

Healthpoint provides full-cycle organized care around the patient’s needs using an integrated
practice unit (IPU) model. Treatment and care is arranged around each individual’s condition and
lifestyle, with all caregivers operating as one integrated and complementary practice unit to
increase standards, avoid unnecessary care and simplify each patient’s journey at the hospital.

Media Contacts:
Dr. Bisera Lakinska, Marketing Manager, National Reference Laboratory
Telephone: +971 4 440 2400; 055 8009912
Email: blakinska@nrl.ae

Amanda Menzies, Head of Marketing & Communications, Healthpoint


Telephone: +971 2 492 9533
Email: a.menzies@healthpoint.ae

Salma Chalak, Consultant, Wallis PR


Telephone: +071 58 982 9525
Email: salma.chalak@wallispr.com

Sources:
 https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-stage-0-and-stage-1
 https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-
diagnosis/breast-cancer-survival-rates
 http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer
 http://www.mohap.gov.ae/en/SearchCenter/Pages/opendata.aspx?k=BREAST%20CANCER
%2A#Default=%7B%22k%22%3A%22BREAST%20CANCER*%22%7D#93c387d2-be52-
49a4-9436-d2ab886c68fe=%7B%22k%22%3A%22BREAST%20CANCER*%22%2C%22o
%22%3A%5B%7B%22p%22%3A%22MOHPublishDateOWSDATEMP%22%2C%22d
%22%3A1%7D%5D%7D
 http://www.mohap.gov.ae/en/services/Pages/241.aspx
 https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet#q2

You might also like