Breast Cancer: Education is Vital
Every nineteen seconds a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the world, yet controversy still surrounds the issue of breast cancer education and recommendations for screenings (ww5.komen.org). Four top organizations have introduced different recommendations on breast cancer screening, although proposed treatment plans are similar, the issue still persists. Educating women of all ages, ethnic and social backgrounds is significant because there are many misconceptions on breast cancer screening that has instilled fear in many women, causing them to forego any type of screening or testing. Therefore, would improved educational resources impact breast cancer screening compliance, leading to earlier detection, …show more content…
Lynn Gerig, RN, BSN, OCN, CBCN has over twenty-six years’ experience in oncology, with the last fourteen years as a Breast Navigator. Gerig discusses the necessity for change in breast cancer education to alleviate the misconceptions about screening and cancer to increase compliance with these both. These misconceptions can be contributed to the different guidelines that organizations are publishing for women. This is all very confusing for women to know exactly what they should be doing to ensure early detection. Gerig states, “I would like to see all governing bodies on the same page related to screening guidelines so that women can be educated without the fear factor.” Fear and anxiety contribute significantly to the non-compliance with screenings for breast …show more content…
This can be contributed to the lack of education about cancer, screenings, further testing and treatment options available to women. Women should perform a monthly breast self-examination in the shower is the recommendation of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, as well as a clinical breast examination performed by a physician, and a baseline mammogram at age thirty-five. It is recommended that with no abnormalities to continue yearly mammograms at age forty till one’s physical status will no longer allow treatment of cancer. Misconceptions related to inconsistent education that are existent are instilling fear and anxiety in women, causing them to either have no screenings or treatments provided, or on the other spectrum women are opting for aggressive treatments such as mastectomies for early stage cancer which most times considered overtreatment. “How does one get women to accept less treatment?” (Johnson and Eunjung Cha). Education could possibly be the answer to this question. If women are appropriately informed about risk factors, screening, testing that may occur and treatment options, the fear and anxiety is likely to decrease increasing the compliance with beginning the screening process. Mahon discusses various concerns in regards to who should be screened and when, according to different recommendations from
Every nineteen seconds a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the world, yet controversy still surrounds the issue of breast cancer education and recommendations for screenings (ww5.komen.org). Four top organizations have introduced different recommendations on breast cancer screening, although proposed treatment plans are similar, the issue still persists. Educating women of all ages, ethnic and social backgrounds is significant because there are many misconceptions on breast cancer screening that has instilled fear in many women, causing them to forego any type of screening or testing. Therefore, would improved educational resources impact breast cancer screening compliance, leading to earlier detection, …show more content…
Lynn Gerig, RN, BSN, OCN, CBCN has over twenty-six years’ experience in oncology, with the last fourteen years as a Breast Navigator. Gerig discusses the necessity for change in breast cancer education to alleviate the misconceptions about screening and cancer to increase compliance with these both. These misconceptions can be contributed to the different guidelines that organizations are publishing for women. This is all very confusing for women to know exactly what they should be doing to ensure early detection. Gerig states, “I would like to see all governing bodies on the same page related to screening guidelines so that women can be educated without the fear factor.” Fear and anxiety contribute significantly to the non-compliance with screenings for breast …show more content…
This can be contributed to the lack of education about cancer, screenings, further testing and treatment options available to women. Women should perform a monthly breast self-examination in the shower is the recommendation of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, as well as a clinical breast examination performed by a physician, and a baseline mammogram at age thirty-five. It is recommended that with no abnormalities to continue yearly mammograms at age forty till one’s physical status will no longer allow treatment of cancer. Misconceptions related to inconsistent education that are existent are instilling fear and anxiety in women, causing them to either have no screenings or treatments provided, or on the other spectrum women are opting for aggressive treatments such as mastectomies for early stage cancer which most times considered overtreatment. “How does one get women to accept less treatment?” (Johnson and Eunjung Cha). Education could possibly be the answer to this question. If women are appropriately informed about risk factors, screening, testing that may occur and treatment options, the fear and anxiety is likely to decrease increasing the compliance with beginning the screening process. Mahon discusses various concerns in regards to who should be screened and when, according to different recommendations from