What is Cancer?

The body's basic unit of life is a cell. Many different types of cells make up the different tissues and organs of our body. Normally, these cells divide and grow to form new cells, as and when the body needs them.

Occasionally this orderly process can go haywire. Cells and the genetic material within can become damaged or changed (mutation) and this can lead to an overgrowth of cells, which is then termed a mass or growth or tumour.

Some tumours are benign. This means that they do not spread to other parts of the body and are usually not life-threatening. These tumours usually do not grow back if they are removed. (eg a lipoma, is a growth of fat cells on the skin and it may be removed for cosmetic reasons)

Some tumours are malignant (cancerous). They have the ability to spread to tissues nearby and invade into organs, causing disease and damage to these organs. These malignant cells can also break free and enter the blood stream or lymphatic system and spread to other organs (metastasis). Therefore, malignant tumours or cancers are serious and can be life-threatening.

It is important to realise that cancer is not a single disease with a single cause and a single type of treatment. There are more than 200 different kinds of cancer, each with its own name and treatment

Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer is a tumour that begins in the breast tissue. There are several types of breast cancer. The majority (80%) of breast lumps are benign. However, you should not ignore a lump. There is still a 20% chance that it is malignant. If left too long, this overgrowth of malignant cells could spread and the chances of a cure begin to fall. Furthermore, the more advanced the cancer, the more extensive the treatment required.

Breast cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the most common cancer among women.

What causes it?

No one knows why some people develop this overgrowth of cells while others do not. Research shows that a number of factors increase an individual's chances of getting cancer. These are termed risk factors. For more information on risk factors, visit one of these links below.

Useful Links:

http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/WhatisBreastCancer.html

http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/types/breast

http://www.radiologymalaysia.org/breasthealth/About/index.htm

http://www.cancerqld.org.au/pdf/UnderstandingBreastCancer_000.pdf

Breast Cancer in Malaysia

Statistics for Malaysia sourced from the National Cancer Registry Reports 2002 and 2003.

• Breast cancer was the commonest overall cancer and the commonest cancer in women amongst all races from the age of 20 years for 2003 to 2005.
• Breast cancer is most common in the Chinese followed by the Indians and then, Malays.
• Breast cancer formed 31.1% of newly diagnosed cancer cases in women in 2003-2005.
• A woman in Malaysia has a 1 in 20 chance of getting breast cancer in her lifetime.
• The peak incidence was among 50-59 year olds.

http://www.radiologymalaysia.org/breasthealth/About/FactsNStats.htm