Women’s Cancer Series – Breast Cancer  

  Body + Mind, Cancer, Health Screening + Preventative Medicine
/
 , , ,

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore!

Approximately 1 in 10 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and nearly 2000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Singapore.

Women’s Cancer Series – Breast Cancer

Women’s Cancer Series – Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

There are many risk factors associated with breast cancer – these include:

1. Age

The older you are, the higher your risk of breast cancer. Most breast cancers affect women above 40 years of age.

However, breast cancers can occur in women as young as in their 20s.

2. Family History

A positive history of breast cancer in the family doubles your chances of having breast cancer, and should prompt earlier screening than the average population.

5-10% of breast cancers are also associated with inherited mutations in specific cancer genes, namely BRCA-1 and BRCA-2.

The presence of the BRCA mutation increases your chances of breast cancer by 4-5 times the normal population.

It also increase your risk of having other cancers, like ovarian cancer.

3. Diet and Lifestyle

A diet high in animal and saturated fats, and low in fibre can increase your chances of having breast cancer.

Smoking and alcohol intake can also contribute to your risk.

Physical exercise, and maintenance of a normal body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) help to regulate your body’s estrogen levels, thereby reducing your risk of breast cancer.

4. Reproductive History

Women who have never had children, or have their first child after the age of 35 years of age have an increased risk of breast cancer.

5. Menstrual History

If your menarche (onset of mensus) occurred before age 11, or if your menopause (cessation of mensus) occurred after age 55, your body has longer exposure to reproductive hormones, and thus increases your risk of breast cancer.

6. Medications

Prolonged use of estrogen and progesterone can increase your risk of breast cancer. These hormones are found in medications such as the oral contraceptive pill/birth control pills, and in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer most commonly presents as a breast lump.

Other common symptoms that women notice include:
  • Changes to the skin of the breast
  • Breast tenderness/pain
  • Nipple discharge
  • Retraction of the nipple
It is important to note that not all breast lumps are cancerous. The majority of breast lumps are actually benign growths.
However, if you do detect a lump in your breast, a proper evaluation by a medical doctor is necessary to ensure the lump is not cancerous in nature.

Breast Cancer Screening

To protect yourself against breast cancer, regular screening is essential.

Women above the age of 50 should have a mammogram once every 2 years.

Women from the age of 40 -50 may choose to have a mammogram +/- a breast ultrasound on a yearly basis.

If you have a positive family history of breast cancer, speak to your doctor about the appropriate age to initiate early screening.

To find out more about how mammograms and ultrasounds are performed, click here.

Perform a regular Breast Self Examination. Click on the link to find out how to do it.

Join Our Women’s Health Forum For More Discussion!

women health forum

Need a Female Doctor?

Having Women’s Health concerns? Please visit us or contact us at our Women’s Clinic in Singapore. We are open on weekends too.

Our Clinics:

1.) Dr Tan and Partners @Bencoolen

Main Doctor: Dr Michelle Chia

Address:
180 Bencoolen Street,
#02-20, The Bencoolen
Singapore 189646

Telephone:  +65 6884 4119

Operating Hours:
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
9.00am – 5.00pm

Tuesday & Friday
9.00am – 8.00pm

Saturday – Sunday
9.00 am – 1.00 pm

Public Holiday – Closed

2.) Dr Tan and Partners@ Robertson

Main Doctors: Dr Grace Huang

(Anonymous HIV Testing is available daily too)

Address:
11 Unity Street,
#02-06/07, Robertson Walk
Singapore 237995

Telephone:  +65 6238 7810

Operating Hours:
Monday – Friday
8.00am – 9.00pm

Saturday
9.00 am – 9.00 pm

Sunday
9.00 am – 2.00 pm

Public Holiday – Closed

3) Dr Tan and Partners @Raffles Place

Main Doctor: Dr. Elaine Loh

Address:
20 Cecil Street, #02-01 PLUS
Singapore 049705

Telephone:  +65 6962 7144

Operating Hours:
Monday
8.00am – 6.00pm

Tuesday to Friday
8.00am – 5.00pm

Saturday, Sunday & Public Holiday – Closed

4) Dr Tan and Partners @Holland V

Main Doctor: Dr. Elaine Loh

Address:
15B Lorong Liput
(Next to Holland Piazza)
Singapore 277730)

Telephone: +65 6235 1339

Operating Hours:
Monday – Friday
8.00am – 8.00pm

Saturday – Sunday
9.00 am – 2.00 pm

Public Holiday – Closed

Comments are closed.