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805 new cases of breast cancer in one year in Albania, 15 of them men

2025-10-18 10:25:30Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Pink October is breast cancer awareness month, which aims to increase care and attention for early diagnosis and timely treatment of this diagnosis.

The role of the media, celebrities, or awareness campaigns by official institutions are only one side of the coin. The first to make this call for early examination and timely diagnosis are the doctors themselves.

Prof. asc. Helidon Nina, head of Oncology at the "Mother Teresa" University Hospital Center, told ATSH that in 2024, 805 new cases of breast cancer were registered, while 15 cases were in men.

According to Nina, last year's incidence is an indicator that there is no predominance of young people affected by breast cancer, so there is no increasing trend among young people.

"The most affected age group is between 50-70 years old and for this purpose mammography is recommended especially for this age group. As risk factors we have those that do not depend on the individual, that are unmodifiable, such as being female, heredity, positive genetic tests, an early or late menopause, radiation for other reasons that were done at a young age, lymphoma are some of the factors that we are unable to modify," said Nina.

"Those factors that depend on the individual are reducing the level of obesity, the recommended physical activity of one and a half hours per week, not taking hormonal therapies or contraceptives for the reproductive system for long periods of time, giving birth before the age of 30, breastfeeding, etc.," he stated.

Nina also focused on the trend in diagnostics in recent years and the way these methods have changed over the years, including at QSUNT.

According to him, the mainstay of breast cancer treatment remains surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and others.

"In all these elements to combat this disease, there are always evolutions. Even at QSUNT we have therapy and immunotherapy, as well as new chemotherapies that are also being implemented in our country. As for radiotherapy, evolution is the fact that we have moved from cobalt to linear accelerator. Diagnostic imaging tools have undergone transformations as they have moved from standard mammography to 3D tomosynthesis mammography, from standard ultrasound to elastographic ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.," Nina stated.

He said that there are several techniques that are used even after the breast is removed and the prosthesis is placed under the muscle covered with a gauze or over the muscle covered with a gauze.

"Currently, the prosthesis is placed under the skin without using a bandage at all. I mention the bandage because it is a costly medical element," said Nina, while emphasizing that in addition to the medications provided by the Drug Fund, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is aiming for breast prosthesis after surgery to be fully reimbursed by the state.

Prof. asc. Nina also emphasized early diagnosis, because if the patient does not have metastases, treatment options and diagnosis management are much easier than when the disease reaches an advanced stage.

"The state and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare offer free mammography not only during Pink October, but also throughout the year in hospitals, maternity hospitals, and mobile stations. In QSUNT, mammography is performed throughout the day until 6:00 p.m. Last year, by order of the minister, it was requested that mobile mammography be performed in certain districts of the country throughout the year, to help those areas that do not have access due to remoteness. There are two mobile mammography facilities and the IHP has the schedule for performing mammography every week and month," said Nina.

According to him, some of the first signs that should be treated as worrisome by women are a mass in the breast, skin retraction, a red or black discharge from the nipple, glands in the armpit, skin edema, a rash that is confused with mastitis, etc.

"Self-examination is not decisive in the matter of breast cancer, but it has its own weight of importance," Nina asserted.

The Chief of Oncology concludes his interview for ATSH with a message to all women and girls, not to wait until October to have a mammogram and breast ultrasound, but to take advantage of any time of the year.

"The fight is fought all year round and the media has a role in this. Visits to specialist doctors, information that comes from women who have survived this pathology are also valuable. Every year we see individuals who undergo examinations without having any signs or problems. Therefore, we must have the broadest possible approach to this pathology", concluded prof. asc. Helidon Nina./Taken from ATSH


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