Prof. (Dr) Aruna. D.S. a Dental Public Health Professional and Tobacco Cessation Specialist from Bengaluru is expressing Gratitude to “PRAYASH” TMC ECHO for their Cancer prevention initiative targeted to educate, train and empower medical health professionals. This training narrowed my Professional Isolation as this module focused on 3 common Cancers in India- Oral, Breast and Cervical Cancer.  I am sharing personal experience on How knowledge and skills imparted to me during PRAYASH TMC-ECHO’s Cancer Screening Training Program for Medical Officers (CSTP-MO1) to provide best practice in cancer helped my Mother in reporting Breast Cancer.

Despite clinical advancement in management of Breast Cancer in India the survival rates go unparallel due to delay in Cancer diagnosis. This holds good for my Mother who is 74-year-old having favourable socio demographic indicators a double graduate with family members who are doctors and residing in urban area with accessible tertiary medical services. She felt lump in her left breast for past 6 months and denied to act on risk of suspicious cancer considering it to be like the less troublesome one diagnosed as fibroadenoma in her right breast which was surgically excised 28 years back.  Pain and distress associated with two orthopaedic surgeries during past 7 years, Concern about what doctor may find, COVID situation, fear of surgery, chemotherapy and asymptomatic nature without any disability in performing day to day activities were also the factors for risk denial.

The didactic, case presentation and expert opinion sharing best practices for management during breast cancer session empowered me to circulate breast cancer prevention IEC material from credible sources on early cancer detection as stage of presentation is a crucial factor for patient survival.  IEC material on What breast cancer can look and feel like, self-breast examination video by India against Cancer in Hindi language to educate about early cancer symptoms, promoting self-examination of breast, where and when to seek timely medical intervention were shared with my family and friends group highlighting October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This was game changer for her to act.

On seeing the IEC, she reported to me about the lump in her left breast and on local examination it was of hard consistency and I took her for Mammogram immediately. When Mammogram indicated malignancy without any delay, I had teleconsultation with Breast cancer oncologist in one of tertiary cancer speciality hospitals followed by PET SCAN, FNAC which were suggestive of Carcinoma Left Breast. Now transition from cancer denial to acceptance of cancer risk, compliance to surgical and further advised cancer management is seen in my mother within a span of 15 days. She is a stimulus for change among her contemporaries for utilising breast cancer screening facilities and periodic self-examination of breast.

Thanks to joint ventures of ICMR – National Institute Cancer Prevention and Research, “PRAYASH”- TMC ECHO with smart goals for empowering me in Cancer Prevention and hope to incorporate cancer screening for my patients in collaboration with other health care specialists.