- Dr. Verushka Mansukhani, Specialist General Surgeon and Breast Surgeon at Prime Healthcare Group, Dubai emphasizes on why every woman must opt for preventive screening for breast cancer.
Dr. Verushka Mansukhani
Specialist General Surgeon and Breast Surgeon
Breast cancer is a diagnosis that touches almost every family, says Dr. Verushka, “As a Breast Cancer surgeon, I meet women every day who arrive carrying a mix of fear, strength, hope, and uncertainty. What years of practice has taught me is simple but profound truth – the stage at which breast cancer is detected can completely transform a woman’s life. Early detection doesn’t just improve outcomes—it reshapes the entire journey.”
When breast cancer is detected in Stage 0- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) even before it becomes cancer, treatment is gentler, survival is extraordinarily high, and a woman’s quality of life remains largely unchanged. But when disease is detected late, everything becomes more difficult: the treatment, the emotional burden, the time away from family, the physical recovery. The difference between these two paths often comes down to something as simple as a yearly mammogram points out Dr. Verushka
Understanding Stage 0: A Life-Saving Window
One of the most powerful examples of early detection is Stage 0 breast cancer, is in the case of DCIS. This isn’t invasive cancer yet—it’s the earliest, pre-cancerous form where abnormal cells remain confined to the milk ducts and have not spread.
“Women diagnosed at Stage 0 often feel scared at first, but I remind them of this hopeful truth—Stage 0 is almost always curable. It is the best-case scenario of a breast cancer diagnosis,” says Dr. Verushka.
Importantly, most Stage 0 cases are found only because of routine mammograms. These women feel completely normal. They have no lumps, no symptoms, nothing to alert them. Imaging picks up subtle calcifications long before anything becomes dangerous. This is the power of early screening—it detects disease before life ever feels interrupted.
The Emotional Weight of Timing
In the clinic, doctors usually see two contrasting moments. A woman comes in for her routine mammogram. It shows something tiny, invisible to touch. Further tests reveal Stage 0 or a very small Stage 1 cancer. The doctor explains that the tumor was caught early. That incites a typical response The woman’s shoulders drop. Her breathing slows. Relief replaces fear. Her life continues almost unchanged.
Another woman comes in after noticing a lump, months earlier but waiting out of fear or denial. Her diagnosis is advanced. Dr. Verushka adds, “When we discuss treatment, she often whispers: ‘I wish I had come earlier.’ These moments—full of humanity and vulnerability—are why screening matters. Timing isn’t just medical; it carries emotional weight, financial weight, and family weight.”
What Every Woman Should Be Doing?
Monthly Self-Examination
Take a few quiet minutes each month to know what your normal feels like. Early changes are subtle, and familiarity is your best tool.
Clinical Breast Examination
- Ages 20–39: once every 2–3 years
- Age 40 and above: annually A trained eye and experienced hands can detect what you might overlook.
Annual Mammograms
This is the single most important step.
- Start at age 40
- Start earlier (30–35) if you have family history or genetic risks Mammograms detect Stage 0 and early-stage cancers that cannot be felt. They save lives silently.
Symptoms That Should Never Be Ignored
Even without pain, women should seek evaluation for:
- A new lump
- A change in breast shape or contour
- Dimpling of the skin
- Nipple inversion or discharge
- Redness, swelling, or persistent rash
Not all changes mean cancer—but delaying evaluation is what turns treatable conditions into difficult ones.
Breaking the Barriers Women Face
Women often postpone screening because they believe: ‘I feel fine’. ‘No one in my family had it’. ‘I’m too busy right now’. Or simply: ‘I’m scared’.
Fear is understandable, but it should never decide your future. Many women diagnosed with breast cancer—including Stage 0—have no family history at all. And they feel perfectly healthy.
Awareness is empowering. Action is life changing.
We can cast a bold new narrative for women everywhere
When breast cancer or pre-cancer is caught early:
- Treatment is shorter and simpler
- The chances of keeping the breast are higher
- Chemotherapy is often avoided
- Recovery is faster
- Emotional burden is lighter
- Survival rates approach 100% for Stage 0 and over 95% for Stage 1
These outcomes are not luck. They are the result of timely detection.
A Message to Every Woman
Dr. Verushka who deals with hundreds of women going through the psychological toll of facing breast cancer has one clear message straight from her heart. “I want to tell every woman, your health is not a burden—it is your strength, your independence, your future. Give it priority. Book your screening. Encourage your mother, sister, daughter, and friends to do the same.
Early detection, especially catching Stage 0 disease, gives women the chance to stay ahead of cancer instead of reacting to it. It lets us rewrite the breast cancer story into one of empowerment, not fear. And that is a narrative every woman deserves.”
 even before it becomes cancer, treatment is gentler, survival is extraordinarily high, and a woman’s quality of life remains largely unchanged.){kind=link}