Although breast cancer screening cannot prevent breast cancer, it can help detect breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.

With newer treatments, breast cancer has an excellent survival rate.

It is, however, still important to understand your risks and how to adjust your lifestyle to live a long and cancer-free life.

What factors affect your risk of breast cancer?

Factors that increase your risk:

• Obesity (BMI above 30)
• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Having family members who have had breast cancer
• The Pill (combined oral contraceptive)
• Hormone replacement therapy that has oestrogen and progesterone

Factors that reduce your risk of breast cancer:

• Exercising regularly
• Breastfeeding
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Hormone replacement therapy that has oestrogen only

How will I know if I have breast cancer?

See your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms:

• a new lump in the breast or under the arm pit;
• a change in breast size, shape or appearance;
• dimpling, redness, pitting or other change in the skin;
• change in nipple appearance or alteration in the skin surrounding the nipple (areola); and/or
• abnormal nipple discharge or pain in the nipple area.

If you have no symptoms, it’s a great idea to come to us for a mammogram pathology form so that you can go for your 2-yearly mammograms after age 40 (annually if you are a high-risk patient).

References:

Factors that modify breast cancer risk in women – UpToDate

WHC-UnderstandingRisksofBreastCancer-MARCH2017.pdf (womens-health-concern.org)

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer