Cancer checks key: Nurse

Valerie Pennick (left) and Toni Stringer, Pink Caravan breast-care nurses, spread the "early breast cancer detection" message in Rotorua yesterday. Photo / Stephen Parker

The Pink Caravan Tour was back in Rotorua yesterday as part of a 32-town nationwide tour.

It is part of a push to get women to understand breast cancer's signs and symptoms, family and lifestyle-risk factors, and to know what to do if concerned.

With two breast-care nurses to answer questions and with information on board, the caravan tour message is that the earlier people are diagnosed, the better the outcome, and regular breast screening is the best way to go.

It is also important to know what the signs of breast cancer are because it can appear between mammograms.

Breast-care nurse Valerie Pennick said over the years the death rate had fallen through regular screening programmes and breast-awareness, except in Maori and Pacific people. They did not see a doctor as regularly and when cancers were discovered they were the larger ones.

"These cancers are still treatable, but not as easily treatable as when they are the size of a gram of rice.

"When you start to feel it, it has probably reached 1.5-2cm and the treatment is more involved and the outcome not as good ... early detection increases the survival rate and lessens the chance of surgery."

BreastScreen Aotearoa runs a free two-yearly screening programme for woman with no symptoms aged 45-69 years.

For more information go to www.nzbcf.org.nz.