Breast Cancer screening in dubai & BRCA Screening in Dubai

The International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that a total of 4,707 new cases of breast cancer were detected in the UAE in 2018.

What is Breast Cancer Screening?

It is the process in which we watch for any symptom of any disease, like breast cancer, before somebody has any sign.

The main purpose of screening tests or breast cancer screening in Dubai is to find cancer at an begining stage when it can be medicated and may be cured.

Frequently, screening test helps find whether cancer is very tiny or very slowly expanding. These cancers are not likely to cause death or illness over a person’s lifetime.

Who can take breast cancer screening test ?

Women that are 50 to 74 years old & are at normal risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years. Women whose age are 40 to 49 should discuss with their doctor or other medical professional about when to begin and how frequently to get a mammogram. Women must consider the pros and cons of breast cancer screening tests when determining whether to start taking mammograms before age 50.

Breast Cancer Screening Test

Mammography: It is the most frequent screening test for breast cancer.It is an x-ray image of the breast. Mammography can help in finding tumors that are very small to feel. It is less probable to find breast tumors in women with thick breast tissue.

Women aged fifty to sixty-nine years who have screening mammograms have a lower chance of dying from breast cancer than girls who don’t have screening mammograms.

Factors that influence whether mammography is capable to detect breast cancer

Age and weight of patient

Density of breast tissue

Condition of the mammograph picture

Position of tumor in the breast

Sensitivity of breast tissue to hormones

Type of tumor

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): In this procedure, an imagining machine is used that uses a computer, radio waves, and magnet to make a series of thorough images of areas within the body. It is also known as (NMRI) nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. In MRI the woman is not vulnerable to radiation. MRI is used for those women who have a high possibility of breast cancer. Elements that bring women at high danger are:-

Particular gene changes, like variation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.

A family past with breast cancer.

particular genetic syndromes, like Li-Fraumeni or Cowden syndrome.

Thermography

In this procedure, a special camera that senses warmth is used to save the temperature of the skin that covers the breasts. If there is a tumor in the breast than it can induce in temperature changes that may display up on the thermogram.

Tissue sampling / Biopsy

In this test, a sample of breast tissue is taken and is checked under a microscope. Breast tissue selection as a screening test has not been proved to decrease the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Breast Exam

In this exam, the physician or other health professionals will cautiously feel the breasts and below the arms for lumps or anything that seems different. Breast self-exams can be done by men or women to examine their breasts for lumps or other variation. You should consult your doctor if you experience any lumps or observe any other variation in your breasts.

Other Breast Cancer Screening Tests

Ultrasound : Ultrasound is an imaging exam that transmits high-frequency sound waves through your breast & change them into images on a examining screen. The ultrasound technician install a sound-emitting probe on the breast to administer the test. It is used to balance other screening tests. If an anomaly is seen on mammography or experience by physical exam, it is the preferred way to find out if the anomaly is solid (like benign fibroadenoma or cancer) or fluid-filled (like benign cyst). It cannot conclude whether a solid lump is cancerous, nor can it discover calcifications.

BRCA Screening in Dubai

Q: What are the BRCA genes?

The BRCA genes are tumor suppressor proteins. They halt unrestrained cell growth and irregular cells from turning into cancer. You have two variants of the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes. If you are a “BRCA carrier,” you have a defect or alteration in one of the BRCA genes that stops it from functioning properly. These people are at greater risk for cancer during their lifespan because the gene is not functioning correctly.

Q: Where do BRCA mutations come from?

BRCA genes are inherited from the parent and handed down from generation to generation. If you have a BRCA mutation, you have a 50% chance of passing the mutation to each of your offspring. Such mutations do not miss generations, but sometimes occur, because not all people with BRCA mutations develop cancer. All men and women may have BRCA mutations and may pass them on to their offspring.

Q: How common are BRCA mutations?

BRCA mutations are rare–affecting only 1 in 400 individuals. About 1 million people in the United States are known to have BRCA mutations, but less than 10% are aware that they have mutations that increase their risk of cancer. That’s why genetic counseling is so critical.

Q: Which types of cancer are caused by BRCA genes?

BRCA gene mutations cause hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (HBOC). The risk of breast cancer is estimated to be between 55 and 85 per cent over one lifetime and between 27 and 44 per cent for ovarian cancer. Women with BRCA mutation are at higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer. If you are a recipient of BRCA and have already had breast cancer, you are at an increased risk for a second breast cancer. BRCA mutations may also increase your risk of melanoma, lung, and pancreatic cancer.

Q: Are these genes affecting men?

Yes. Men are frequently abandoned in conversation of the “breast” cancer genes. If you’re a man with a BRCA mutation, you have a 6 percent exposure to male breast cancer, a 20 percent exposure to prostate cancer, and raised risks of pancreatic cancer and melanoma. Men with BRCA mutations also want to have raised cancer screenings.

Q: Is the mastectomy is a only option for BRCA carriers?

No. While some women prefer to have a bilateral mastectomy, there are other alternative to reduce your breast cancer risk. These contain monthly self-breast exams, clinical breast exams two times a year, as well as annual mammograms, and annual breast MRIs. Chemoprevention, a medication that decrease breast cancer risk, may also be an alternative for you.

At this time, there are no active screening techniques for ovarian cancer. High risk patients may favour ultrasounds or a blood test called CA-125, but these exam are not known to be productive at detecting ovarian cancer at an initial stage. If you have a BRCA mutation and have stopped having children, we propose having your ovaries and fallopian tubes taken out to decrease your risk of ovarian cancer. This process, called an oophorectomy, also reduces your risk for breast cancer and has been relate to a 77 percent reduction in your complete risk of death.

Men with BRCA mutation should have raised screening for breast and prostate cancer.

BRCA carriers have many crucial choice to make, and with that information they can manage with healthcare professionals to make sure they take right choice for oneselves and their family.

Q: Should I get tested and how much does it cost?

While there are many individuals with BRCA variants, not everyone needs to be tested to see if they have a mutation. It’s important to learn about your personal and family background to see if the BRCA test may be correct for you. If you have any of these symptoms of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, you should seek genetic testing:

Ovarian cancer at any age Breast cancer at age 45 or younger Two breast cancers in the same woman, one before age 50 Two relatives with breast cancer, with one before age 50 Male breast cancer Breast cancer at or before age 60 that is “triple negative” or ER, PR, HER2 negative breast cancer More than three relatives with breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or aggressive prostate cancer



Healthcare providers with advanced clinical expertise are working with patients who have a personal or family history of cancer to assess if genetic testing would be helpful. Evaluation usually takes one hour and involves taking a detailed personal and family history and addressing the dangers, advantages and disadvantages of research. After this evaluation, if genetic testing is needed, providers of health care can arrange genetic testing. Once your test results have been received, they will help to create a personalized management plan based on your personal and family history and test results.

Genetic testing of BRCA genes is expensive. Most insurance companies will carry out tests if you have a significant personal and family history. You can contact Dr. Huma Darr for breast cancer screening in Dubai.

Q: I’ve already had a BRCA test and it was negative, doesn’t that mean my breast cancer isn’t genetic?

If you had a negative BRCA test, it is unlikely that a defect in the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene caused the cancer. There may be another genetic cause for your cancer, however. Each of us has between 20,000 and 25,000 chromosomes. Specific breast and ovarian cancer mutations have been identified, and genetic testing for these genes is also possible. If you have a serious personal or family history of cancer, we recommend talking to your doctor to see if further genetic testing is needed.

Q: Are other types of cancers inherited?

Most tumors are intermittent or something that occurs by accident. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of cancers are caused by gene changes that run in a family. The BRCA genes are of two types that are known to cause hereditary cancer. There are also genes that may increase your risk for other types of cancer, including uterine cancer, colon cancer, and ovarian cancer etc. If you’re concerned about your personal or family history of cancer, ask your doctor if a genetic risk evaluation may be helpful for you.