Killer Cancers: Not Just
A Woman’s Problem
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Some
people may think breast
cancer is something that
only affects women.
However, do you know
that men are not spared?
According to
Prof Walter Tan,
Plastic Surgeon and
General Surgeon, Raffles
Surgery Centre, “men can
also get breast cancer
though it is one hundred
times more frequent
among women than men.
The prognosis in males
with breast cancer
however, is generally
worse than in females.
This is because of the
small size of the male
breast and the tendency
of the cancer to spread
beyond the breast more
easily.”
Breast cancer is the
number 1 cancer
affecting women globally
and in
Singapore. It is
considered to be the
final outcome of
multiple environmental
and hereditary factors.
While surgery remains
the mainstay for breast
cancer treatment, breast
cancer patients who need
to undergo mastectomy
often have to bear with
the emotional and
physical trauma of
losing
one’s breast(s).
Raffles Hospital offers
immediate reconstruction
surgery that is done at
the same time as the
mastectomy, when the
entire breast is
removed. A benefit
of immediate
reconstruction,
explained Prof Tan, is
that chest tissues are
undamaged by radiation
therapy or scarring.
Also, immediate
reconstruction means one
less surgery, which
results in cost savings.
Most importantly, it is
psychologically less
traumatising for
patients as they need
not undergo a period of
loss.
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Risk Factors
|
►
|
Age, race |
|
► |
Individual or family
history of breast
cancer |
|
► |
Individual history
of ovarian cancer |
|
► |
Genetic
predisposition |
|
►
|
Estrogen exposure |
|
► |
Abnormal
proliferation of
cells in breast |
|
► |
Lifestyle factors:
Obesity, lack of
exercise, alcohol
use |
|
► |
Radiation exposure |
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Symptoms
|
►
|
New lumps or
thickening in the
breast or under the
arm |
|
► |
Nipple tenderness,
discharge, or
physical changes |
|
► |
Skin irritation or
changes |
|
► |
Warm, red, swollen
breast with a rash
resembling the skin
of an orange |
|
►
|
Pain in the breast
(usually not a
symptom of breast
cancer, but should
be reported to a
doctor) |
|
► |
No visible or
obvious symptoms
(asymptomatic) |
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Screening Tests
|
►
|
Mammography |
|
► |
Ultrasound |
|
► |
MRI scan |
|
► |
Biopsy to confirm a
diagnosis |
|
►
|
Blood tests to
determine if the
cancer has spread
outside the breast |
|
► |
Additional tests may
be used to determine
stage |
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Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Dated: June 2011
|
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
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