The National Campaign on Breast Cancer will kick off in Jeddah on Sept. 29 under the motto “United against Breast Cancer''. Pregnant and breast feeding women will not be scanned for cancer because the procedure involves radiation which affects the fetus and breast milk. The campaign is being organized by the General Directorate of Health in Jeddah, represented by King Abdul Aziz Hospital's Oncology Center and King Fahd General Hospital in Jeddah. The campaign is patronized by Princess Haifa Bint Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz, Chairperson of the Al-Zahra Society for Breast Cancer in Jeddah. Dr. Mona Basaleem, the campaign's supervisor, said the basic objective is to enlighten women about the importance of the early detection of the disease, adding that the campaign will continue for three months. She said there will be mammography scans of Saudi women between 40 and 69 years of age. She said this is a diagnostic procedure to detect breast tumors with the use of x-rays. She said pregnant and breast feeding women will not be scanned because the procedure emits radiation which affects the fetus and breast feeding mothers. The procedure will be conducted on women suffering from breast cancer and women already being treated for the malignant disease. She said the media are involved in the campaign. Thousands of publications, medical bulletins and posters will be distributed to highlight the campaign. A website has been designed which includes essential information about the disease and the early detection program. The website is www.baced.net. If the need arises, women who are suspected of having the disease will be referred to the Oncology Center at King Abdul Aziz Hospital for all the necessary radiography tests, and later referred to the breast clinics at the hospital.
