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(Edaily reporter Lee Soon-yong) No woman is immune to breast cancer. In fact, breast cancer is the most common cancer among Korean women. It mainly occurs in middle-aged women in their 40s and 50s, but recently the number of young patients in their 20s and 30s has also increased.
According to the 2021 National Cancer Registry Statistics, among the 133,800 new female cancer patients, 28,720 were breast cancer patients, accounting for about 21.5%. More than one-fifth of new female cancer patients were diagnosed with breast cancer. In addition, the crude incidence rate (ie, the number of cases per 100,000 female population) was 111.6, and the total number of patients with the disease was 303,804.
However, breast cancer is a type of cancer that can be detected early through regular examinations, and if treated early, the cure rate is very high. As of 2021, the 5-year survival rate is 93.8%. In other words, the possibility of occurrence is high, but treatment is completely possible.
“Breast cancer is a type of cancer that can be easily overcome if detected early through regular screening,” said Kang Young-jun, a professor of breast and thyroid surgery at the Catholic University of Korea’s Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital. Women over 30 should do self-examinations monthly, and those over 35 should do so every two years, “and those over 40 should see a specialist every one to two years,” he advised.
◇If you have a past or family history, be careful… Long-term exposure to female hormones is also a risk factor.
The cause of breast cancer is still unknown. However, some risk factors are well known. Risk factors known so far include a history of intraepithelial lobular neoplasia or atypical proliferation diagnosed by biopsy or family history (mother, daughter, sister). Among actual breast cancers, there is hereditary breast cancer, where people inherit cancer genes from their parents and are naturally prone to cancer. In Korea, hereditary breast cancer accounts for 5% to 10% of all breast cancers. In the United States, about 12% of cases are hereditary. Of course, not everyone with a cancer gene will get cancer. They just have a higher chance of getting cancer than others. It is understood that having a cancer gene increases the incidence by 60-80%.
In addition, it is known that the risk of breast cancer increases with exposure to female hormones (estrogen) due to early menarche, late menopause, no childbearing or breastfeeding experience, or late first birth. In addition, obesity, use of female hormones such as birth control pills, alcohol, caffeine, and radiation are also considered risk factors.
Professor Jiang Yongjun said: “If you feel a lump in the breast, nipple inversion, swelling of the breast skin, protruding pores, tangerine peel-like, or bloody discharge from the nipple, you can suspect breast cancer.” “If it appears, we must consider the possibility that it has passed since it occurred,” he said.
◇ Early detection through regular checkups is important… After age 40, have a mammogram every 1-2 years
The most important thing to prevent breast cancer is to detect it early through regular examinations. There are three ways to diagnose breast cancer: “self-examination”, “clinical examination” by a doctor, and “imaging examination” such as X-ray and ultrasound. It is best to do a self-examination about a week after the end of menstruation. When there is no menstruation due to pregnancy or menopause, set a date every month. However, the accuracy of self-examination is poor. Therefore, a clinical examination by a doctor is required every two years after the age of 35, and a mammogram is required every 1 to 2 years after the age of 40.
Professor Young-Jun Kang said, “In the case of domestic women, the breast tissue is dense, so it is recommended to combine mammography and ultrasound, but for young women before the age of 40, whose breast tissue is very dense, it is better to combine them to avoid radiation exposure as much as possible.” “Nevertheless, we still recommend ultrasound first unless there are special circumstances,” he advised.
The most important treatment for breast cancer is surgery. Depending on the condition of the tumor, surgical methods to remove cancerous tissue, radiation therapy to prevent local recurrence at the surgical site, systemic chemotherapy, anti-hormone therapy, and targeted therapy are performed. If a total mastectomy is performed, breast reconstruction surgery can also be performed. In the past, total resection was the trend, but recently, people have tried to minimize the possible scope of surgery through partial resection, breast-conserving surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy, etc. to improve the patient’s quality of life.
◇There is no good or bad food… Proper nutrition, exercise and weight management are important.
After surgery, it is recommended to have a regular lifestyle, including light exercise and plenty of rest. It is especially important to have a mindset to get rid of cancer anxiety and enjoy a normal daily life.
There are no particularly good or bad foods for breast cancer. The link between Westernized foods and breast cancer does not make much sense. Mainly eat foods that are known to be healthy. Avoid foods that are generally considered bad, such as high-calorie, high-fat foods or excessive drinking. Obesity, in particular, is not good for breast cancer patients. Avoid foods or lifestyle habits that cause weight gain. Favorite foods such as coffee, cola, green tea, vitamin calcium supplements, etc. are all fine. Instead of looking for foods that are known to be beneficial, it is better to consume a variety of nutrients, exercise properly, have a healthy weight, and have regular health checks to help prevent breast cancer.
◇ People at high risk of breast cancer
1. Women whose mothers or siblings have breast cancer
2. Women with breast cancer in one breast
3. Women who have never given birth
4. Women who give birth for the first time after the age of 30
5. Women who are obese or consume too much animal fat
6. Women who have been receiving hormone stimulation for a long time, such as early menarche, late menopause, or long-term use of female hormones after menopause
7. Women who have received radiotherapy or been exposed to strong radiation on their chest
8. Women with persistent breast problems (lumps, lesions, etc.) or endometrial, ovarian, or colon malignancies.
◇ Breast cancer self-diagnosis method
1. Look in the mirror and compare the changes in the shape and contour of your breasts to see if they are symmetrical.
2. Cross your hands behind your back, stretch your arms forward, and observe whether your skin is sunken.
3. Raise the arm on the side of the breast to be examined above the head, and use the base of the first knuckles of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers on the opposite side to draw a circle clockwise from the top of the breast, and examine inward.
4. Check for lumps above/below the collarbone and under the armpits.
5. Observe the nipple for any abnormal secretions.
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