Sadly, it’s not surprising to Dr. Aliabadi that as many as 22 million people will be diagnosed with cancer by 2060.
Speaking with noted CGTN America journalist Asieh Namdar on World Cancer Day 2024, Dr. Aliabadi expanded on the inequities of cancer care around the globe.
“I’ve dedicated my life to educating women,” said Dr. Aliabadi, speaking with the interviewer in London.
She cited several critical factors driving the evolution of cancer. These include:
- An aging population.
- Poor lifestyle choices such as tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy diets.
- Obesity—the leading cause of breast, liver, kidney, and pancreatic cancer.
- A sedentary lifestyle.
What is World Cancer Day?
Created in 2000, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone to unite under one voice to face one of the most significant challenges in history.
Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world, gathering communities, organizations, and individuals in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, community halls, and places of worship — in the streets and online — acting as a potent reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.
While we live in a time of awe-inspiring advancements in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, many of us who seek cancer care hit barriers at every turn. Income, education, geographical location, and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and lifestyle are just a few of the factors that can negatively affect care.
The importance of expanding resources
This year’s World Cancer Day theme, “Close the Care Gap,” seeks to ensure all global citizens have access to quality health care. Currently, that is not the case.
“It’s really, really sad,” says Dr. Aliabadi, adding that cancer rates are 50% higher in low-income patients, especially for women. “Women’s symptoms are dismissed. They are less likely to be heard and diagnosed.”
Consider the following:
- Inequity in cancer care costs lives.
- People who seek cancer care hit barriers at every turn.
- Income, education, location, and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and lifestyle are just a few of the factors that can negatively affect care.
- The gap affects everyone, including you and your loved ones.
These barriers are not set in stone. They can be changed.
Sadly, it’s not surprising to Dr. Aliabadi that as many as 22 million people will be diagnosed with cancer by 2060.
Speaking with noted CGTN America journalist Asieh Namdar on World Cancer Day 2024, Dr. Aliabadi expanded on the inequities of cancer care around the globe.
“I’ve dedicated my life to educating women,” said Dr. Aliabadi, speaking with the interviewer in London.
She cited several critical factors driving the evolution of cancer. These include:
- An aging population.
- Poor lifestyle choices such as tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy diets.
- Obesity—the leading cause of breast, liver, kidney, and pancreatic cancer.
- A sedentary lifestyle.
What is World Cancer Day?
Created in 2000, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone to unite under one voice to face one of the most significant challenges in history.
Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world, gathering communities, organizations, and individuals in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, community halls, and places of worship — in the streets and online — acting as a potent reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.
While we live in a time of awe-inspiring advancements in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, many of us who seek cancer care hit barriers at every turn. Income, education, geographical location, and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and lifestyle are just a few of the factors that can negatively affect care.
The importance of expanding resources
This year’s World Cancer Day theme, “Close the Care Gap,” seeks to ensure all global citizens have access to quality health care. Currently, that is not the case.
“It’s really, really sad,” says Dr. Aliabadi, adding that cancer rates are 50% higher in low-income patients, especially for women. “Women’s symptoms are dismissed. They are less likely to be heard and diagnosed.”
Consider the following:
- Inequity in cancer care costs lives.
- People who seek cancer care hit barriers at every turn.
- Income, education, location, and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and lifestyle are just a few of the factors that can negatively affect care.
- The gap affects everyone, including you and your loved ones.
These barriers are not set in stone. They can be changed.
The key is early detection
Dr. Aliabadi spoke from first-hand experience about how difficult it can be to be heard by doctors — especially for women.
“My breast cancer was missed, and I had to fight for a year to get the surgery I needed,” she says.
Aware that she had a 37% risk of getting cancer, Dr. Aliabadi asked for and received a prophylactic (preventative) double mastectomy to stave off her breast cancer risk. “I’m doing great because of my self-advocacy,” she says.
Against her doctor’s advice, Dr. Aliabadi chose to undergo the preventative procedure even though she had no gene mutation or family history of the disease. After the procedure, she stunningly discovered she had stage 1 breast cancer in one of her breasts.
Know your risk of breast cancer:
- Family history of breast and ovarian cancer. Your risk increases if a mother, sister, or daughter is diagnosed with breast cancer. Red flags include multiple family members diagnosed before age 45. Cancer risk can be inherited from your mother’s and father’s side of the family.
- Genetic mutations. You’re at a higher risk if you have family members with a mutation, especially BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Individuals with a hereditary risk for breast cancer may have up to an 85% lifetime breast cancer risk.
- History of abnormal breast biopsy. Atypical cells put you at a higher risk.
- Dense breasts. Breasts comprised of more connective and glandular tissue and less fatty tissue have been associated with higher cancer risks.
- A high body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more. BMI is based on your weight in relation to your height. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk of developing cancer.
- Increasing age. Two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women over the age of 55.
- History of chest wall radiation at a young age. For example, chest radiation for childhood lymphoma increases breast cancer risk.
A risk of over 20% percent is considered high.
“It’s important for women to know their risk and how to deal with that number,” Dr. Aliabadi says. “They may want to begin imaging much younger than 40.”
Before her mastectomy, the doctor had no family history of breast cancer, no genetic mutations, no cancerous biopsies, and regular mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs.
“The majority of women who get breast cancer don’t have any history of it,” she says. “So, we have to be careful.”
She calculated her own cancer risk by noting her two pre-cancerous biopsies and dense breast tissue. Taking these potential risk factors into account, Dr. Aliabadi calculated her breast cancer risk.
Here’s what women should do to stay healthy
During her interview, Dr. Aliabadi stressed the importance of women being their own advocates; but this can be especially difficult.
“The majority of women worldwide don’t have access to good healthcare,” she says. “Early detection is huge.”
These women are unable to get mammograms and MRIs and don’t know about genetic risk. All the medical advancements in the world cannot help this.
Dr. Thais Aliabadi: one of LA’s top OB/GYNs
A breast cancer survivor herself, Dr. Aliabadi is intimately familiar with how a diagnosis can turn your world upside down. Along with her warm, compassionate team, Dr. Aliabadi provides medical care and support to women in every stage of their lives, from routine exams to pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. If you have questions or concerns about your breast cancer risk, we invite you to reach out to Dr. Aliabadi and her expert team.
We invite you to establish care with Dr. Aliabadi. Please make an appointment or call us at (844) 863-6700.
The practice of Dr. Thais Aliabadi is ranked as one of the top gynecology centers in the country. We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area, near Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles, to name a few.
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