BREAST CANCER CASES INCREASING AT ALARMING RATE – SPECIALIST

Breast cancer cases increasing at alarming rate – specialist

TAWAU June 10, 2012: The number of breast cancer cases in Malaysia has increased at an alarming rate and has become the number one killer of women between 50 and 59 years old.

According to the National Cancer Registry, 11,952 breast cancer cases were reported between 2003 and 2005 throughout the country. The Chinese community has a higher risk of suffering from breast cancer, followed by Malays and Indians with a cumulative lifetime risk of 1:19 .

Kuala Lumpur Pantai Hospital consultant and breast surgery specialist Dr Azlina Firzah Abdul Aziz said women nowadays face a higher risk of getting breast cancer, adding that females aged below 50 are also at risk.

Azlina said many young females suffering from breast cancer feel ashamed to seek help and treatment from doctors. Some of them seek ‘alternative’ treatment such as from shamans (bomoh/jampi).

On the other hand, some females are not aware of the danger of breast cancer due to low awareness, she added.

She said breast cancer is a non-infectious disease and those obese have a higher risk of getting it. Breast cancer can be caused by many factors such as the environment, alcohol consumption, smoking, an imbalanced lifestyle, and only five per cent are caused genetically. Breast cancer can spread out and affect other organs in our bodies through the blood and nodes system.

Azlina strongly advised women to check and seek treatment as early as possible without waiting for the cancer to get serious.

“We should have a healthy lifestyle such as having a balanced daily meal, enough rest, exercise as well as refraining from alcohol and smoking,” she said during a breast cancer talk here yesterday.

According to Azlina, males aged 50 and above are also at risk of having breast cancer where a total of 257 cases were reported between 2003 and 2005 in the country.

Meanwhile, Tawau Hospice Association president Datuk Victor Rajasekran also advised women both from the rural and urban areas to have themselves examined frequently at the hospital family planning unit.

He made the call when giving his opening speech at the breast health awareness campaign held at Tawau Library yesterday afternoon.

The program was jointly organised by Tawau Library, Kinabalu Pink Ribbon and Tawau Hospice Association. A total of 500 people attended the program.

The closing ceremony was officiated by Kinabalu Pink Ribbon president Lucilla Pang.

by Christy Chok