Seventy five percent of all breast cancer cases are presented to the hospital when patients reach their final stage.

While the hospitals are able to provide these patients with the needed treatment, the survival rate becomes as low as twenty two percent.

This was revealed by Australian Surgeon Gausihi Sivarajah who has worked in Fiji for several years regarding treatment for breast cancer.

Sivarajah says after talking to many patients, they believe the reason for late detection is due to the fear of what the disease will entail for them.

“If patients present themselves early this cancer is curable. It is a curable cancer. It terms of the types of surgery that they offer – they don’t have to have as big a surgery as they may not need chemotherapy or radiotherapy if they present early enough so it’s that fear that is blocking that.”

The surgeon believes if Fiji adapts radiotherapy treatment for all forms of cancer, it will help to increase survival rates.

The Health Ministry has confirmed that seventy-seven Fijians have lost their lives due to breast cancer in the first seven months of this year.