CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: DR. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

Qatar

Need holistic approach in breast cancer drive: HBKU Press

Published: 05 Feb 2017 - 10:02 am | Last Updated: 04 Nov 2021 - 09:30 am
Peninsula

The Peninsula

Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press) has emphasized on the need for a more holistic approach in breast cancer awareness and screening and on developments related to the issue. 

The availability and accessibility of early breast cancer screening programs and the widespread public service announcements citing early detection of cancer as a key to a higher survival rate is on the rise, according to the National Cancer Strategy Review. While the disease is still the number one cancer among women in Qatar, early detection dramatically increases the success of available treatments as well as chances of survival.

According to the World Health Organization, in 2014, cancers accounted for 18 percent of the total deaths in Qatar among all age groups and breast cancer specifically accounts for 31 percent of all cancers in females.

“Through HBKU Press’s open access platform, QScience.com, peer-reviewed research papers and articles about cancer and a variety of other topics can be easily accessed online,” said Dr Alwaleed Alkhaja, Senior Editor at HBKU Press.

A research study on Avicenna journal, available on QScience.com, ‘Breast cancer screening among Arabic women living in the State of Qatar: Awareness, knowledge, and participation in screening activities,’ was published at a time when Qatar was facing a rise in breast cancer incidence, and previous findings indicated that women in Qatar were often diagnosed with breast cancer at advanced stages as their participation rates in screening activities were low. 

The lack of wide-spread knowledge translated to the low rates of breast cancer screenings and self-examinations by the women in the study. 

Coinciding with this study was the launch of the National Cancer Strategy in May 2011. Specifically, with regards to breast cancer, the National Cancer Strategy Review 2011-2016 points to several campaigns and initiatives that have been successful in raising breast cancer awareness, and increasing the number of breast cancer screenings (whether clinical or self-examinations).