Breast Cancer Awareness Month: El Paso doctor reminds community to get screened
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a nationwide campaign to increase awareness of the disease that has taken the lives of many.
In the Borderland, ABC-7 speaks with Subhasis Misra, M.D. at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso about how it has impacted El Pasoans.
"It is the most common cancer that women face. In fact, out of every three new cancers that women get diagnosed, one of them is Breast Cancer," said Dr. Misra. “In El Paso, we see a lot of women with very advanced Breast Cancers compared to the national statistics. “
According to the National Cancer Institute, almost 298,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer and more than 43,000 will die of the disease in 2023.
In just the last year El Paso saw about 124 new patients in the area, according to Dr. Misra.
"..And this year we know it's still going on and we don't have all the numbers, but the majority are coming with very advanced cancers and that's why we think screening is important. Education is important, to spread awareness of this cancer," he said.
Dr. Misra said some of the main contributing factors are being unaware of the cancer, and having little to no access to health care in the community.
He said breast cancer is one of the more treatable cancers where, if it is caught early, can have a very good long term survival rate.
"Early screening saves lives and there's no doubt about it," he said.
