The only way to fight cancer is to visit doctor once a year, medical center director says

Cancer diagnosis is not a verdict, the only way to fight the disease is to visit a doctor once in a year, Khachanush Hakobyan, director of Armenian-American medical center, told the reporters on Monday.

She said the main reason of not passing the necessary medical examination is not the price but the fear. Then comes the money, which though, is ungrounded as it is just necessary to have 15,000 drams for digital mammography and in case of necessity 5,000 for sonography. “It is not difficult to gather this sum once in a year,” he said.

“Our center has had 300,000 thousand visitors, 3,000 of which came for prophylactic examination. The 16,000 of the visitors have applied for breast cancer, which was revealed among 8,000,” she said, adding that in early detection stage cancer is like a piece of rice which can be easily removed.

The only way to fight against cancer is its prevention. It means visiting doctor even if a person is healthy.

The center’s director says the people have become more attentive toward their health and if 12 years ago 32 people were visiting the center daily, today their number reaches 120.

Hakobyan though said that the disease has become younger. The center has 62 breast cancer cases among 0-29 years old.

She said the center has male visitors as well. This year about 631 men applied to the center, among 23 breast cancer was revealed.

The center’s director said the situation in provinces is worse. “We often go to provinces – once in four months which is difficult for us both financially and physically,” she said, adding that unfortunately women there are in more complicated situation, work harder and are subjected to stresses more.

Hakobyan said the biggest achievement of the center is the life of 3,860 women who were diagnosed with cancer in the early stage and treated.