Breast Cancer in Malaysia

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast, usually in the inner lining of the milk ducts or lobules, These variations have been attributed to variations in body size, diet, reproductive characteristics such as age of menarche (first period in females), parity (number of children), age at first childbirth, and age at menopause. The incidence rates also vary with race,

The incidence (number of new cancers) is steadily increasing. The statistics are more frightening in countries like the Malaysia

Breast Cancer in Malaysia – the stark facts

Breast cancer was the commonest overall cancer as well as the commonest cancer in women amongst all races from the age of 20 years in Malaysia for 2003 to 2005.
Breast cancer is most common in the Chinese, followed by the Indians and then, Malays.
Breast cancer formed 31.1% of newly diagnosed cancer cases in women in 2003-2005.

The primary risk factors that have been identified are sex, age, childbearing, hormones,a high-fat diet,alcohol intake,obesity and environmental factors such as tobacco use, radiation and shiftwork.However, studies of environmental and lifestyle factors only attribute a small increase in breast cancer to each factor.

The most cases in breast cancer causes of :

• 
  Personal history of breast cancer: A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.
  



• Family history: A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer.



• The risk is higher if her family member got breast cancer before age 40. Having other relatives with breast cancer (in either her mother's or father's family) may also increase a woman's risk.
  



• Certain breast changes: Some women have cells in the breast that look abnormal under a microscope. Having certain types of abnormal cells (atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ [LCIS]) increases the risk of breast cancer.
  



• Race: Breast cancer is diagnosed more often in Caucasian women than Latina, Asian, or African American women.
  



• No physical activity: Women who are physically inactive throughout life may have an increased risk of breast cancer. Being active may help decrease risk.
  



• Tamoxifen may interact unfavorably with certain antidepressants when used for prevention of breast cancer recurrence.