Almost half of breast cancer patients suffer from a condition that can actually be caused by previous cancer treatments, a specialist has warned.

However, King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) consultant breast and oncoplastic surgeon Dr Sara Al Reefy said an ‘alarming’ lack of awareness meant that few people knew about the risks of lymphoedema, reported the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

She said Bahrain led the region in terms of breast cancer prevalence with more than a third of women suffering from the condition, while one hospital alone receives around 30 lymphoedema patients on average every month.

"Lymphoedema could result from cancer treatments, by parasitic infections, accidents or other lymph-related conditions," said Dr Al Reefy.

"With the high prevalence of breast cancer in Bahrain, this lifelong condition could be risky for the population if left unattended.

"Breast cancer-related lymphoedema is a chronic, weakening disorder that is often misdiagnosed, under-treated or not treated at all.

"In Bahrain, breast cancer is highly prevalent with the country leading in the region with 34.7 per cent of the population facing this condition.

"As per global statistics, 40 per cent of the population who had undergone breast cancer surgery will have lymphoedema, which is applicable to Bahrain as well.

"This is alarming for a small country like ours and lack of awareness is the main reason which has led us to this situation. The condition is on the rise.

"However, with the introduction of sentinel lymph node biopsy (removal of a single affected lymph node instead of a group) since 2009, we could say that the numbers are dropping, though statistics are not available.

"Again, on a global front, this technique had reduced the prevalence (of lymphoedema) from 40 per cent to between one and eight per cent, which is promising.

"But this technique is new and requires nuclear isotope materials, which is limited to developed countries and is expensive.

"Worldwide, surgeons still resort to auxiliary lymph node biopsy (removal of the group of lymph nodes) and hence lymphoedema is on the rise.

"Moreover sentinel biopsy can be useful only at the early stage of breast cancer.

"Bahrain currently offers sentinel biopsy. However, this is not helpful in late, advanced or aggressive stage of cancer, which is the case here."

Dr Al Reefy was speaking at the first Lymphoedema Awareness Conference yesterday at the Gulf Hotel.

Lymphoedema is a condition in which body parts swell due to an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissues as a result of damage to or removal of part of the lymph vessel system.

Experts attending the conference called for an aggressive awareness drive to highlight the condition and encourage people to seek early diagnosis, which would enable patients to reduce the seriousness of the non-curable condition at an early stage.

Obesity, which is another major concern in Bahrain, can also contribute to the condition.

Lymphoedema can affect all age groups, including infant babies.

"The primary lymphoedema is a condition inherited and could either be visible at an early age or revealed after 10 to 15 years of age," said KHUH certified lymphoedema therapist Haya Salem Abdulla.

"The secondary condition develops after surgeries, mainly breast cancer, in our country.

"At the lymphoedema dedicated clinic at KHUH, we receive six to seven patients a month, apart from the regular consultation of those who undergo breast cancer treatment."

Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) certified lymphoedema therapist Ameera Mohammed said an average of 30 patients were seen each month.

"The lowest age that we received was a three-month-old baby and the maximum cases of primary lymphoedema occur in the 20s, while the secondary condition is among those in the 40s," she said.

"Definitely the cases are more among females due to the high percentage of breast cancer in Bahrain.

"We have had only five cases of paediatric lymphoedema in Bahrain to date and this awareness drive is a necessity to limit this number."

The first of its kind conference in Bahrain and the GCC, hosted by KHUH, coincides with International Lymphoedema Awareness Day on March 6.

The event was opened by KHUH administration general manager Brigadier Hassan Ali Al Mohanna and concluded with a patient experience live session, where Bahraini lymphoedema patient Abdul Basil Al Mahmood shared his experience with the audience. More than 100 delegates and four speakers attended the event. - TradeArabia News Service