ICS Thailand annual conference introduces new technology for breast cancer treatment.

Friday 05 January 2018 14:25
Breast cancer is currently the most common cancer in Thai women. In order to control this deadly threat effectively, disseminating information and raising public awareness of the disease are necessary, and at the same time, medical professionals need to continuously improve their knowledge to keep pace with new technology and help increase the chances of successful treatment for patients, as breast cancer can be cured if diagnosed early.

Recently, the Thailand Section of the International College of Surgeons (ICS) under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King collaborated with Khon Kaen Hospital in organising the 63rd annual academic conference with the theme of "Breast-Bowel-Trauma & Patient Safety", attended by more than 300 physicians, nurses and medical students nationwide to get updated mainly on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The conference was supported by the Wacoal Pink Ribbon breast cancer awareness campaign conducted by ICC International Plc, distributor of Wacoal products; and Thai Wacoal Plc.

One of the highlight activities was the demonstration of ultrasound-guided core biopsy, which can be applied to breast cancer diagnosis. According to Prof Dr Supakorn Rojananin, President of ICS Thailand Section and the "Surgeons for All" project, the procedure was demonstrated to prepare Thai surgeons for a new treatment trend from abroad which decreasingly relies on surgery.

Prof Dr Supakorn said: "This biopsy is for preliminary breast cancer screening, performed after a lump is found in a breast, whether by palpation or mammogram. The procedure is not new but essential to the new breast cancer treatment approach called 'Cryosurgery' or the use of extreme cold in surgery to destroy abnormal or diseased tissue. Cryosurgery has been conducted extensively in Japanese hospitals and it will definitely be available in Thailand within the next two years. However, newly-graduated physicians are normally unaccustomed to ultrasound-guided core biopsy because it is not part of the curriculum which rather focuses on emergency life-saving procedures such as delivery, appendectomy, thoracentesis and tracheostomy.

"Ultrasound-guided core biopsy uses a hollow needle to remove a breast tissue sample for examination. It is a less invasive procedure and leaves little to no scarring, enabling the patient to go home right after it is done. And importantly, it is low-cost, so it is a preferred procedure in major hospitals in Bangkok as opposed to provincial hospitals that usually conduct surgical biopsy because there is still a small number of physicians who has the capacity and sufficient experience to perform ultrasound-guided core biopsy. If doctors in every province can do this procedure, we will no longer need to refer patients to other hospitals.

"Certainly, any advanced medical technology cannot save patients if they arrive too late. That's why raising awareness of breast cancer and the importance of regular health check-up must continue. Every woman has a risk of breast cancer, so they should take good care of themselves and look for any physical abnormalities. If they do breast self-exam and find blood or fluid discharge from the nipple or a suspicious lump, however small it seems, they should go to the hospital for elaborate diagnosis and prompt treatment in order to maximise the chances of being cured. This is the key to keeping the Thai people save from this fatal disease."

The annual academic conference was one of the ICS's cancer-related activities, which include a fundraising campaign for the first breast cancer centre in the north-eastern region at Khon Kaen Hospital. The conference also featured displays of surgery-related innovations from the public sector, including Wacoal's Balancing Bra for post-mastectomy patients, specially-designed clothing for burn-injured patients that help smooth keloids, bras that help accelerate the healing of breast surgery wounds, and body-firming products for those who have received breast augmentation/reduction surgeries and liposuctions.