BREAST CANCER LEADING CAUSE OF WOMAN MORTALITY

Armenpress
Feb 20 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: A recent study shows that breast
cancer remains number one cause of death for Armenian women, followed
by cervical cancer.

Khachanush Hakobian, head of the Armenian-American Health center in
Yerevan, said the risky group are women between 35-50 who must have at
least one thorough examination a year. "Armenian women are different
focusing on taking care of their children and husbands and ignoring
their own health," she said.

According to her, over the ten years of its operation, the Center has
examined 93,000 women of whom 3,100 had breast cancer and cervical
cancer was found with 70 women. The highest mortality rate of breast
cancer among women is in Gegharkunik province.

She said some 400 women lives were saved due to early detection of
the disease.

Mrs. Hakobian said the arguments of women from vulnerable families
that they cannot afford 3,000 drams ($6) annually to pay for the
examination were not convincing. Besides, she said, the Center offers
free of charge services to disabled women and women from families
who lost a man in the Karabakh war.