Like every year, October 19th is commemorated World Breast Cancer DayThe most common tumor among women, it is estimated to affect one in eight people in their lifetime.
Global data on breast cancer
The death rate is decreasing, and according to the data OMSIn 2020 685,000 people have died worldwide.
But before we go into detail about the data on this disease, how do we define it? It is a malignant tumor that develops in the tissue of the mammary gland, which includes malignant tumors that have uncontrolled growth that spreads to other tissues.
To continue to reduce the mortality rate we mentioned above, the World Health Organization has a global initiative against breast cancer, with the aim of reducing global mortality from this disease by 2.5% annually, so from 2020 to 2040, two and a half million lives will be saved.
Achieving this target would prevent one in four deaths from breast cancer among women under 70 by 2030, and four in ten by 2040.
We are talking about patients in women because, although it is true Men Those who suffer from this disease, the assessment is only among them 0.5% and 1% of total Cases detected.
Breast cancer in Spain
In 2022, and according to Data from the Cancer Laboratory of the Spanish Society Against Cancer, In Spain, 34,740 people are diagnosed with breast cancerThe age of maximum incidence is over 50 years, with a special incidence in the age group between 45 and 65 years, although approximately 10% are diagnosed in women under 40 years of age.
This means that one in three cancers diagnosed in women, specifically 30%, is breast cancer.
Due to research into this disease and prevention and early detection, mortality has decreased significantly, increasing the average five-year breast cancer survival to 85%.
However, in 2020, 6,572 women in our country still died of breast cancer.
The importance of early detection
And the Spanish Society Against Cancer This highlights the importance of remembering that screening programs are targeted at at-risk populations. These programs increase life expectancy by early detection or detection of new cases.
In particular, the Early detection of breast cancer is a key tool, diagnostic tests for people in a target population (by gender or age) to help identify potential injuries and improve prognosis. In the specific case of breast cancer, tests are done through mammograms.
Likewise, the association emphasizes the relevance of remembering that we are dealing with a multifactorial disease, meaning that different causes intervene simultaneously in non-modifiable risk factors (sex, age or family history) and modifiable ones (such as poor diet). ), alcohol and tobacco consumption or sedentary lifestyle), that’s why Prevention through healthy living is key.
Therefore, information (as it is a serious but curable disease if diagnosed on time), support and support and research are three issues of special importance to help patients.
Technology is essential to fight breast cancer
As we commented earlier, Early intervention is essential to improve the prognosis of breast cancer patientsAnd new technologies are very useful tools for early detection and the development of personalized treatments that can help save lives.
Mammography as a radiological method is a technology more than a century old, especially since it was born in 1913 by a German surgeon. Albert Solomon He used radiography to study this condition, which is why he is considered the inventor of breast radiography.
Precisely called mammography combined with 3D ultrasound Abuse (Automated breast ultrasound), increasing its reliability and helping professionals adopt more efficient and less invasive treatments. The Radiological Diagnostic Service of the 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid conducted a study to demonstrate that using this type of technology has major advantages, such as obtaining high-resolution images for the early detection of breast cancer.
The 3D technology also helps in breast reconstruction, which is proposed as future to provide more natural results. In particular, research focuses on using biotechnology and 3D printing to reconstruct nipples.
Artificial intelligence or IoT against breast cancer
This technology not only allows treatments to be tailored to each patient’s needs and tumor stage at any time, but also provides the opportunity to monitor the disease through data analysis.
For example, he project Rebecca (REsearch for BREast CAnser induced chronic conditions are supported CNormal AAnalysis of multi-source data) through IoT (Internet of Things) seeks to exploit the potential of data obtained by different mobile and handheld devices, and in this way supports clinical research and improves existing workflows.
On the other hand, artificial intelligence can help reduce errors in diagnostic imaging. It is just as effective as human radiologists and can detect early signs of breast cancer and other conditions.
In particular, a study was published The Lancet and conducted with approximately 80,000 women in Sweden Artificial intelligence Detects 20% more breast cancers compared to a routine double reading of mammograms by two radiologists.
