Breast Health Day 2013

Breast Health Day is a day that should represent the whole year and the whole life for every woman. In principle, my work as a breast surgeon (mainly clinical: I prefer the relationship I can develop with women before and after surgery) at the European Institute of Oncology, should motivate me to speak about regular checks and correct examinations, but actually I think women do not need so much advice on carrying out examinations. They can obtain a large amount of information, from the media, on the internet and from their physicians any time they wish. Correct information should be an issue, but I do believe we are reaching a good level of widespread availability of correct information. There is an element of awareness that should be taken into account because quality of life and the compliance to physicians’ indications are as important as the technical issue of the secondary prevention of breast carcinoma. Women need to be understood, “loved” and followed during the entire development of consciousness and self-care responsibility because the decision to undertake breast cancer prevention is related to hope and happiness but also to fear, loneliness and feeling unsure.