The 16th National Breast Diseases Congress started today. Speaking at the opening of the congress, Altuğra said, “We aim to facilitate the breast cancer screening service and strengthen it with community-based screening methods.”
The 16th National Breast Diseases Congress started today in Girne Acapulco Hotel.
Minister of Health Monitoring, Gürçağ Altuğra, emphasized that in order to increase the success in the fight against breast cancer, they aim to facilitate early diagnosis breast cancer screening service as primary prevention and to strengthen it with population-based screening methods.
The opening speeches of the congress; Minister of Health Monitoring Gürçağ Altuğra, Congress President Varol Çelik and Turkish Breast Diseases Associations Federation (TMHDF) President Mehmet Ali Gülçelik.
After the speeches, the sessions started. 233 participants, 95 speakers and 24 company representatives will contribute to the congress, which will end on Sunday.
Minister of Health Altuğra stated that prevention, screening, early diagnosis and early treatment save lives and stated that cancer is an important public health problem that ranks second after cardiovascular diseases among deaths with known causes in the world and in the country.
Noting that cancer affects the country’s economy, workforce and social psychology as much as it affects patients and their relatives. Altuğra said that the cancer problem requires a holistic struggle, especially if it is diagnosed early.
Altuğra said, “It is extremely important to inform patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer and receiving treatment, to clarify the worrisome or false information known about the disease in the minds of patients, to address breast cancer from all aspects in the congress that started today, and to provide information by experts in their fields.”
Altuğra, who gave information about the applications in the diagnosis and treatment stages of breast cancer at Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital stated that in the Medical Oncology unit of the Oncology Center, the treatment of all oncological patients was carried out successfully with a team consisting of 2 medical oncology specialists and 2 internists experienced in the field of oncology.
Altuğra stated that radiotherapy was applied in the oncologically necessary cases in the radiotherapy center, and noted that all the treatments prescribed by the current protocols could be performed in the case of breast cancer.
Minister of Health, Altuğra, emphasized that in order to increase the success in the fight against breast cancer, they aim to facilitate the early diagnosis breast cancer screening service as primary prevention and to strengthen it with community-based screening methods.
Altuğra says, “Our psychologists provide continuous support to patients and their families in terms of psychological support.” She said that the services at Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital can also be delivered to the Oncology Center instantly.
Referring to the research of the Northern Cyprus Cancer Registry Center, Altuğra explained the frequency distributions of breast cancer diagnosed between 2012-2018 as follows:
“In 2012, 106 women 1 man total 107; in 2013, 107 women 5 men total 112; in 2014, 133 women 2 men total 135; in 2015, 136 women 2 men total 138; in 2016, 145 women 2 men total 147; in 2017, 118 women 7 men total 125; in 2018, 113 women 8 men total 121.
858 women and 27 men in 5 years, a total of 885 people were diagnosed with breast cancer”.
Stating that life expectancy and quality can be improved with early diagnosis and treatment in many types of cancer. Altuğra emphasized that this can only be possible with the right policies and the right steps.
Altuğra said, “In this direction, in our Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital Oncology Center, world-class services are offered to our patients by constantly following the innovations in cancer treatments and using these treatments in the country.”
Stating that she cares and happy to hold such a congress in the TRNC, Altuğra thanked everyone who contributed to the 16th National Breast Diseases Congress.
Congress President Prof. Dr. Varol Çelik, in his speech pointing out the difficulties of holding a congress after the pandemic, thanked everyone who attended the congress and contributed.
Çelik stated that the congress was organized on behalf of TMHDF under the management and responsibility of Breast Science (Senology), Eskişehir Breast Diseases Association, Southeastern Anatolia Breast Diseases Association and Kayseri Breast Diseases Association.
Çelik stated that breast cancer is a serious health problem, and diagnosis and treatment methods have changed very rapidly.
Stating that the meaning and importance of congresses emerged at the point of catching this change, Çelik noted that congresses are serious and important in order to apply modern treatment methods.
Çelik stated that the congress was a multidisciplinary meeting attended by physicians and health personnel from all related branches such as surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, radiology, physical therapy and psychiatry.
Çelik stated that TMHDF congresses contain information that changes the practices in daily practice and wished this congress to be productive and successful.
Mehmet Ali Gülçelik, President of the Turkish Federation of Breast Diseases Associations (TMHDF), said that the problems experienced due to the pandemic made it difficult to hold the congress, however, the congress was held with 233 participants and 95 speakers.
Gülçelik thanked everyone who worked for the congress.
Expressing that breast cancer and its diseases date back to before Christ, Gülçelik gave information about the diseases and treatment methods since then.
Gülçelik stated that there have been innovations in treatment and diagnostic methods every day since the 2000s.