Technical issues delay breast cancer treatment: Doc

FOR women who have gone for early treatment of breast cancer at the Port Moresby General Hospital, there are technical issues within the health system that delay treating early stage cancer, a doctor says.
Oncology unit internal medicine specialist and coordinator Dr Peter Olali said this on Friday during the 2020 Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Month and celebration in Port Moresby.
He said most hospitals in the country did not have cancer screening facilities so patients did not have a pathway to follow when they suspect they might have cancer.
Olali said Port Moresby General Hospital was the only centre that received all the specimens from around PNG for histopathological diagnosis.
He said there were less than five doctors inside the laboratory who did the diagnosis.
“Those who are lucky with the city, receive results quickly while other might wait for months,” Olali said.
“Cancer does not wait. It keeps growing and spreading.”
Also the hospital has limited ultrasound scan and mammogram machines.
“Patients can wait for months to get a scan done,” Olali said.