Breast cancer guidelines now available in Spanish

AORN Journal,  Sept, 2007  

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A Partnership between the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) has resulted in availability of the Guidelines for International Breast Health and Cancer Control in Spanish, according to an August 3, 2007, news release from MediLexicon International Ltd, Cancun, Mexico. The guidelines on breast cancer detection, care, and management, which were updated and published in English in 2006, are intended to help policy makers and health care providers in low-and middle-income countries improve patient outcomes by providing evidence-based, economically feasible, and culturally appropriate practices.

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide and is newly diagnosed in more than one million women each year. Women in low- and middle-income countries often are not diagnosed until their cancer is at an advanced stage when treatment is more expensive and less successful, resulting in higher mortality rates.

The guidelines address several breast cancer issues, including

* early detection and access to care,

* diagnosis and pathology,

* treatment and resource allocation, and

* health care systems and public policy.

Many lower-income countries face resource constraints that limit their ability to provide advanced treatments for breast cancer patients. The guidelines recommend a tiered system of resource allocation, depending on the availability of resources. For example, in countries that have only very basic health systems, the guidelines recommend educating women about performing breast self-examinations to detect lumps. In countries that have more resources available, the guidelines recommend performing targeted outreach and presenting education programs on clinical breast examinations to at-risk women, followed by ultrasound or mammography to confirm the presence of any suspected lumps.

Translation of the guidelines into the world's major languages is a goal of BHGI, and the availability of the Spanish translation will help reach ministries of health, health care providers, and policy makers in Spanish-speaking countries. The Spanish guidelines can be downloaded from the PAHO web site at http://www.paho.org.

Newly available guidelines promise better results in breast cancer care [news release]. Cancun, Mexico: MediLexicon International Ltd; August 3, 2007. http:// www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=78602. Accessed August 3, 2007.

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