Breast cancer is no longer part of the Kingdom's traditional culture of “Don't tell anyone.” Public programs have been set up to encourage women to check on their breasts for early detection of the No. 1 killer of women in thus region. A national campaign for breast cancer detection kicked off on Saturday at Jeddah Intercontinental Hotel in the presence of more than 300 physicians and specialists of different disciplines. The campaign, organized by the Saudi Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology in cooperation with Roche Medicine Company, was headlined “Two minutes of my time saved my life.” Dr. Hisham Arab, consultant in gynecology and obstetrics, and secretary general of the Society, delivered a speech stressing the importance of frequent self-examination of the breast, which would allow one to detect tumors including small ones. If found, it would be the first step to combat the disease, followed by periodic radiological treatment for full recovery. Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi, a gynecologist and former vice dean of the College of Medicine at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, was reportedly quoted as saying “In male-dominated societies like some areas in Saudi Arabia, women's decisions are controlled sometimes by men, and men may be unaware of or may disapprove of screening.” She added that Islamic guidance and health ministry rules do allow women to give consent to the surgery on their bodies, except in certain cases such as tubal ligation. On the campaign's banner, Dr. Arab said it means that two minutes of a doctor's time examining a woman could save her life if cancer were detected. He said the Society aims through these campaigns to raise public health awareness and add to the knowledge of specialists – goals that are sought in consultation with Roche company. US institutions have lately partnered with Saudi Arabia to achieve early detection of breast cancer. The partnership was reportedly said to have come about after a Saudi women's association identified fighting breast cancer as a core objective during a meeting with a State Department official. __
