Breast cancer: things you can do to reduce risks 

IT IS a sobering statistic. Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women in Singapore, with one in 13 being diagnosed with the disease by the age of 75.

Between 2016 and 2020, the Singapore Cancer Registry reported 12,303 breast cancer cases affecting females. Thankfully, only 2,245 of these women died from it, and this is largely owing to earlier detection, routine screening and modern advances in breast cancer treatment.

Leading causes

According to breast surgeon Sabrina Ngaserin, head and consultant at Sengkang General Hospital’s (SKH) Breast Service, multiple factors influence the risk of developing breast cancer. Among them are personal profile such as age, medical history which includes high-risk breast lesions, a family history of cancer, breast density, inherited genetic conditions and increased lifetime estrogen exposure.