Newspaper Page Text
Women and Health
Cancer: panic vs. progress
By Gordon F. Schwartz, M.D.
PHILADELPHIA - (NEA)
— Despite tremendous ad
vances in medical science in
the past generation, cancer
remains one of the most
dreaded, but not always the
most dangerous, afflictions of
mankind.
This fear persists, in part,
because of a widely held “folk
belief” that once the diagnosis
of cancer has been made,
nothing can be done and only
doom awaits the affected per
son.
It is especially tragic that
many women remain con
vinced that cancer is in
curable, for early diagnosis
has led to more frequent cures
from cancer of the breast,
cervix, and other organs. Un
fortunately, part of our failure
to reduce death rates from
cancer even further has been
the difficulty in getting
women to play a more active
role in their own health af
fairs.
The first step in the fight
against cancer is frank, in
telligent discussion of malig
nant disease. The cardinal
rule is: “Early detection
means higher likelihood of
cure.”
Using breast cancer as the
example, involving women in
their own health care by
teaching them breast self
examination is an important
advance. Brochures are
available from groups such as
the American Cancer Society
which teach women this
technique, and no breast ex
amination by a physician is
complete without mention of
self-examination.
There is no doubt that a
woman who examines herself
at monthly intervals is the
most concerned, and often the
most skillful, examiner she
can have. After a short period
of practice, a woman becomes
quite familiar with the
physical characteristics of
her own breasts, and she is
often able to detect subtle
changes which may be not as
noticeable to her physician.
Although one in fifteen
women will develop breast
cancer, this risk is not dis
tributed equally throughout
the population. It is essential
that women become aware of
factors in their own medical
history, or in their family
background, which might
place them in a higher risk
category.
For example, history of
breast cancer in a mother or
sister, may more than double
the risk. Also, if a woman has
had certain benign breast con
ditions, the risk of developing
breast cancer later may in
crease.
Robbins promoted
Gene Robbins, Jr., native of
Griffin, has been named
general manager of the newly
created Rock Hill, S. C., group
in the cotton and blended
fabrics division of the J. P.
Stevens & Co. Before his
promotion, he was manager of
the Estes and Piedmont plants
at Piedmont, S. C.
Robbins was previously
manager of the Griffin Division
of Thomaston Mills.
2 bikes taken
Griffin police are in
vestigating the theft of two 26-
inch girl’s bicycles.
Mrs. Ann Scoville of 567 South
Hill street reported someone
took the bicycles from her
residence. They were valued at
$75.
A breakin at the Westside
Package Store is also under
investigation. Someone broke
into the attic at the building, at
1186 Meriwether street. Nothing
has been determined missing.
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Women should
realize that there
are forms of
breast cancer
which require
much less drastic
and radical
procedures than
have been the
custom In the
past, particularly
In those cases
which have been
detected In their
earliest stages.
Every woman should con
sult with her own physician
about the important facts in
her own situation. In this way
the proper interval for breast
examination can be deter
mined in order to insure the
earliest possible detection and
the best possible medical care
should the need arise.
Overzealous, if well inten
tioned, journalists are also
responsible for many mis
conceptions about cancer. The
recent headlines devoted to
discussions of the theoretical
risks of the X-ray detection
technique, mammography,
are an example.
Instead of noting the
achievements of mam
mography in aiding the earlier
detection of breast cancer,
considerable notoriety was
given to the alleged evil
effects of radiation exposure.
Unfavorable and undeserved
publicity such as this has led
many women to avoid mam
mography despite specific and
prudent indications for its use.
There are, to be sure, many
honest and sincere controver
sies which surround the treat
ment of breast cancer, as well
as other illnesses, with
knowledgeable physicians
championing apparently op
posite forms of treatment.
The prospect of mastec
tomy, the loss of a breast, also
keeps some women from
seeking attention despite a
known lump in the breast.
Women should realize that
there are forms of breast
cancer which require much
less drastic and radical
procedures than have been the
custom in the past, particular
ly in those cases which have
been detected in their earliest
stages.
Early detection, is only the
first half of the battle against
cancer. Os equal importance
is prompt and adequate treat
ment once cancer has been
suspected or diagnosed.
In recent years, women
have become more active in
sharing medical decisions
with their physicians. The
average patient may not be
medically sophisticated
enough to make these impor
tant therapeutic decisions
without expert advice. Yet, all
too often, physicians forget
that the patient herself must
make the final decision, since
only she may give the doctor
the final go-ahead for a treat
ment plan or sign the
operative permit if surgery is
indicated.
More and more patients are
seeking a “second opinion”
regarding proposed treat
ment. No physician truly
worthy of a patient’s trust
honestly objects to a patient
seeking the opinion of another
specialist to confirm his own.
Although death and disabili
ty from cancer continue to be
major health problems, there
need not be the sense of
helplessness and resignation
attached to this diagnosis that
formerly had been so fre
quent. Knowledgeable
women, taking responsibility
for their own health care,
working closely with their
physicians, are the best
defense against this dreaded
disease.
(NEXT: Stress)
> ■ -j
Dr. Schwartz is associate
professor of surgery at the
Jefferson Medical College
in Philadelphia. This arti
cle is one of a series
written in cooperation with
the Council on Family
Health, a public service
group funded by the
manufacturers of
medicines.
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What’s
happening
Homecoming
Homecoming will be observed at Trinity Baptist Church
on North 13th street Sunday. Sunday school will begin at 10
a.m., followed by morning worship at 11 o’clock. Dinner
will be served at 1 p.m. A program of singing featuring the
Douglasville Church of God trio, Ken Walker and the
Breanes of Eufaula, Ala., will be from 2 to 5 p.m. The Rev.
J. W. Thomas is the pastor.
Kiwanis Club
Ladies night and installation of new officers will be held
by the Griffin Kiwanis Club on Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. at
the Moose Lodge.
A round table will be Wednesday at noon at Bonanza.
Garden Club
The Griffin Federation of Garden Clubs will host the
annual Redbud district meeting for the first time at the
Griffin Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The Town and
Country Garden Club is preparing table decorations,
name tags and program covers for the meeting.
Page 3
— Griffin Dally News Tuesday, September 27, 1977
rn Wednesday Is
*S* DOUBLE
S&H Green Stamp Day
In Spalding Square Shopping Center
We Gladly Redeem
U.S.Govt. Food Coupons