HUSM Kubang Kerian First Hospital On East Coast With Invenia ABUS 2.0 To Detect Breast Cancer

KOTA BHARU, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Kubang Kerian became the first medical facility on the east coast to have an Automated Breast Ultrasound machine (Invenia ABUS 2.0) worth RM2 million for early detection of breast cancer.

USM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Rahman Mohamed said this was possible through an allocation of RM2 million provided by the Higher Education Ministry which also included the purchase of a bus for use as a mobile clinic for breast cancer screening.

He said the Invenia ABUS 2.0 machine uses new ultrasound technology that can improve the accuracy of detecting the number one cancer among women.

"The machine has been in use at this hospital since June and it can increase the detection of breast cancer by 35.7 per cent compared to the common mammography method used in most hospitals now.

"In fact, the 3D ultrasonography method through this machine also uses non-ionising radiation and it is safe for expectant mothers with a faster, comfortable and painless examination compared to the mammography method (the breast is 'painfully’ pressed, flattened on a flat plate to obtain a clear X-ray image)," he said.

He said this after launching the Invenia ABUS 2.0 detector machine and the 2024 Breast Cancer Awareness Month (Pink October) at the Kubang Kerian HUSM here today.

Commenting further, Dr Abdul Rahman said 100 patients with breast cancer sought treatment at the hospital almost every year and 40 per cent were already with stage three and four cancer.

He said early detection and effective treatment are important to reduce the spread of cancer cells to save lives and reduce the morbidity of this disease among breast cancer sufferers.

"In terms of cost, if they have a government guarantee letter, treatment will be free, otherwise they will be charged a certain cost but cheaper than the fee billed in other private hospitals," he said.

-- BERNAMA