They assure that in Venezuela, treating breast cancer can cost between 5,000 and 24,000 dollars
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- 20 Oct 2022
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Every October 19 marks the World Day for the Fight against Breast Cancer, this date aims to raise awareness among the population about the importance of early detection, in order to improve the prognosis and survival of breast cancer cases , which continues to be the cornerstone of the fight against this disease, but in Venezuela, according to specialists, the costs for carrying out these tests are very high. According to surveys, these can be around $120 for an annual control alone and more than $400 for the diagnosis.
Omar Arias, medical physicist and general director of Serofca Radiological Services, pointed out that in order to make the proper diagnosis of breast cancer screening, an annual control mammogram should be done from the age of 35 and a complementary breast echo. "Then additionally and based on the characteristics of the breast (if it is a dense breast) or with a history of cancer in the family, additional diagnostic tools such as Tomosynthesis and Magnetic Resonance may be available," he said.
Arias stressed that unfortunately in Venezuela there are no real public policies which promote prevention, for example only 8 mammographs are operational in public hospitals nationwide. "This represents a huge gap with respect to the 210 mammographers that we should have at least among the 335 municipalities integrated into the 23 states and the capital district"
The also professor at the UCV explained that by not being able to go to a public hospital, a Venezuelan woman who wants or needs to have an adequate mammographic control must have 120 dollars or what is equal to 8 minimum wages, this being a disturbing figure given to the economic crisis and low wages. “Analysing the risk factors and considering how expensive treatment can be for a patient with breast cancer, early diagnosis facilitates timely treatment and ensures survival above 90%, which is why the establishment of public policies should be focused on the cheapest and most efficient strategy. That is education and early detection, ” he assured.
She stressed how vital it is to clarify to Venezuelans that modern medicine is precision and personalized medicine, so if you want to achieve the best treatment, you need the greatest amount of diagnostic information and then address the disease as a medical emergency, that is, it must be addressed and treated in the shortest time possible after its discovery. “A patient must first locate the place where the biopsy will be performed, which will generally be guided by mammography or on a stereotactic table, at the public level we do not have these tables available and biopsies require patients to bring the material, as well as the subsequent processing in a private pathological anatomy laboratory”, he revealed. Read More…
