Meme Kanseri Hakkında Bilinmesi Gerekenler This headline does not relate to the chemical industry — it translates to "What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer." Since it falls outside the scope of chemical-industry trade news, I have not translated it. Please confirm if you'd like me to proceed with the translation regardless, or provide a chemical-industry-related headline.

What Should Be Known About Breast Cancer Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women today, and the age at which it appears is decreasing. Despite these seemingly negative circumstances, Prof. Dr. Neşet Köksal, General Surgery Specialist at Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital, points out that mortality rates are declining, and emphasizes that encouraging results against breast cancer have been achieved in recent years through increased public awareness, widespread screening methods, and targeted treatments. Prof. Dr. Neşet Köksal, stating that breast cancer treatment is possible and that treatment success increases significantly when early diagnosis is made, said: "According to statistics, one in every 7-8 women in the world may develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. In parallel with this, the frequency of breast cancer in younger ages is increasing today. However, without thinking 'it won't happen to me,' every young woman should start conducting monthly self-examinations beginning in her twenties. Through early diagnosis, it is possible to win the battle against breast cancer."

Three Methods for Early Diagnosis

Emphasizing that there are three methods necessary for early diagnosis of breast cancer, Prof. Dr. Neşet Köksal stated that women should first conduct regular monthly self-examinations beginning in their twenties, and that if any suspicious findings are detected during self-examination, a physician examination of the breast is required. Prof. Dr. Neşet Köksal warned that if any suspicious findings are present after physician examination, imaging methods such as mammography and/or breast ultrasound should be used, adding that this approach makes both early diagnosis and reduction of mortality from breast cancer possible. Prof. Dr. Köksal stated that with recent efforts to increase public awareness in our country, people have become much more informed, saying: "Every woman between the ages of 30-40 should undergo specialist physician examination every three years. After age 40, annual mammographic screenings should be performed. For women with a family history of breast cancer diagnosed at a young age in first-degree relatives, screening should begin 10 years before the age at which cancer was detected." Pointing out that regularly performed mammography is important against breast cancer, Prof. Dr. Köksal added that regular mammography screenings have significantly reduced mortality from breast cancer. Stating that "According to statistics, breast cancer in women appears in approximately 70-80 percent of cases after age 40. However, the more aggressive course of breast cancer seen before age 40 increases its significance," Prof. Dr. Neşet Köksal also said: "Hereditary breast cancers with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations account for approximately 15 percent of breast cancers. Having breast cancer in first-degree relatives such as mother or sister increases the risk of developing this disease twofold. Women with BRCA gene mutations or a family history of breast cancer may develop breast cancer at a younger age. For this reason, women in this group should not wait until after age 40 to undergo breast cancer screening."

Merve Türk, Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at Age 29: "I Held On to Life with All My Strength"

29-year-old Merve Türk, living in Istanbul, sought hospital care after noticing a mass and firmness in her breast while showering. Although she was initially told there was a mass in the bone, after examinations conducted following her consultation with Prof. Dr. Neşet Köksal, General Surgery Specialist at Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital, breast cancer was diagnosed. Merve Türk, whose disease was caught in an early stage, stated that she did not lose hope and held on to life tightly, and that after undergoing surgery, she began to recover her health.

"Listen to the Signals Your Body Is Giving"

Merve stated that her aunt had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer and her mother with colon cancer. After her diagnosis, she noted that she did not lose her morale because her disease was at an early stage and never lost hope, saying: "After being diagnosed with breast cancer, I received considerable support from my family, my workplace, and those around me. However, I believe that cancer is not given sufficient importance in the young age group. Until I was diagnosed with cancer, I had the misconception that I was still young and cancer was far from me. I recommend to young people especially, and to everyone in general, that they listen to and observe the signs and signals their bodies are giving. Breast cancer is treatable as long as we are aware of it and diagnosis is made at an early stage."