Breast cancer anxiety More inquiries to clinics

Fear of breast cancer increases clinic inquiries

06/10/2013

Several weeks ago, it was announced that actress Angelina Jolie had her breasts removed as a precautionary measure for cases of breast cancer in the family. Since then, anxiety has also risen in Germany and leads to more demands in hospitals.

High-risk patients are increasingly asking
At a recent film premiere, the 38-year-old Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie had once again shown herself to the fans as radiant as ever after her operation. This was one of the first appearances after she had her breasts removed as a precautionary measure a few weeks ago for fear of breast cancer. Her public confession had evidently also fueled fear among many women in Germany. For example, in many clinics consultation appointments are booked out for months and the phones barely stand still. An employee of the University of Munich said: „We have been flattened.“ However, the feared wave of hysteria that experts had predicted as soon as the case became known remained. However, gynecologist Dorothee Speiser stated that since the Jolie's public confession in early May, Berlin's Charité has received more inquiries than in the entire first quarter. So about 180 women wanted to know whether they also have to fear a high risk of breast cancer, whether genetic testing are possible or even if a breast removal would be necessary. A large proportion of the inquiring women were so-called high-risk patients, so they had several cases of breast cancer in their direct relationship.

Expert advises to keep calm
The actress had justified her decision to amputation with her increased familial risk. In a genetic test, the breast cancer risk gene BRCA-1 was discovered. Also, Angelina Jolie's mother had died of ovarian cancer at the age of 56, indicating a greater family risk. Susanne Volpers of the „Women self-help after cancer“ However, she explained that only five percent of the female population was affected by a familial cluster. Women should be well informed before a possible genetic test and wonder if they really want to know the result. If a gene mutation is detected, there is also the option of having a regular check-up instead of a preventive amputation. The head of the Dresdner Brustzentrum, Pauline Wimberger, advises: „It is important to keep calm“, and „Not everyone who has cancer in the family has this genetic defect. "Moreover, not every woman with this mutation needs to have her breasts removed, and breast removal is a radical step, according to Dorothee Speiser of the Charité Twenty such surgeries are performed at the Berlin Clinic each year, and it has recently been established at Düsseldorf University Hospital that more patients at high risk, apparently by the example of Jolie, have undergone breast removal.

Increased inquiries lead to staff shortages
With around 74,000 new cases a year, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Germany. „The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the higher the chances of recovery and the gentler the treatment methods - if a diagnosis is made at a very early stage, often no surgical intervention or surgery to maintain the breast is required“, so Dr. Jörg Loth, Managing Director of IKK Südwest. That's why advice and early diagnosis are so important. Nationwide, inquiries have recently doubled or even quadrupled at many university clinics and breast centers. So meant Pauline Wimberger, in Dresden had the numbers „increased on average five times, on peak days even ten times.“ Since the headlines about Jolie's decision, the University of Leipzig has received more than 80 inquiries, instead of normally two to three a week. Many clinics face the increased demand for organizational difficulties. For example, former colleagues at the Hannover Center for Breast and Ovarian Cancer had been brought back for counseling.

Wolfgang Janni, Director of the Department of Gynecology at Ulm University Hospital, said that there are currently plans to increase the available capacity. However, it is not easy to find employees with the appropriate expertise. Many of the clinics also provide information and help on the telephone. For example, the Cancer Information Service of the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg uses a checklist to clarify whether it should be examined. Christian Albering of the gynecologists' association said that breast cancer is now also being discussed more frequently in the gynecologist. For the first time, many women would talk about familial illnesses at all and take advantage of offers for advice and early detection. (Sb)