Breast cancer is preventable – oncologist

Dr Andre Williams, integrative oncologist, Teshuva Wellness, is encouraging Jamaicans to make the necessary lifestyle changes to ward off diseases, such as breast cancer.

Dr Williams, who was speaking in a recent interview during the third and final staging of The Jamaica National Group’s think tank session titled ‘Beyond Breast Cancer’, said in his experience, the dreaded disease is preventable.

“My view on breast cancer is that it is an entirely preventable disease; and most of the scientific literature is now recognising that concept,” Dr Williams stated.

He pointed out that cancer is a lifestyle illness, which is like other non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.

“In fact, I like to say that [cancer] just represents the worst-case scenario when you’re dealing with some of those other illnesses,” he said.

According to the Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan), there were 7,348 new cases of cancer in Jamaica in 2018. Breast cancer accounted for 974 of those cases, which represented 13.3 per cent of all cancer cases. The mortality figures for breast cancer, for the same period, stood at 413.

Dr Williams noted that the increase in the number of cancer cases locally could be linked to the lifestyle choices of Jamaicans.

“Dietary changes are absolutely necessary. The most effective way of limiting these lifestyle diseases is actually through nutritional changes, exercise, getting enough rest, which is pretty much the same messages you hear all the time,” he stated.

He pointed out that most Jamaicans have access to the best medicine for living a healthy life, which are the natural foods that are grown across the country.

HEALTHY EATING

“We need to start embracing the fact that right around us there are healthy foods. And my mantra has always been that, we need to avoid foods that are processed in favour of the foods that are naturally growing on trees,” he advised.

“Adopt a lifestyle which embraces foods that are grown right outside; and you will find that your body will feel much better, not just in terms of cancer prevention, but overall.”

The JN Group’s Beyond Breast Cancer think tank session was held as part of its Power of Pink activities for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed in October.