Staying abreast on breast health
Health is wealth. We often hear this adage more so now that people are becoming increasingly health conscious. For women especially, breast health is part and parcel of our overall health and well-being. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with data showing the Philippines as having the highest incidence of breast cancer in Southeast Asia, it is just right that we give the spotlight to this disease. As breast cancer is among the cancers that is curable, specially if diagnosed and treated at an early stage, education is key to beating this disease.
People often ask what causes breast cancer. Up to now, even in this modern age, we still do not have a direct answer to this question. The closest thing studies have come up with are the identification of risk factors that may increase a person’s chance of developing breast cancer.
Lifestyle risk factors associated with breast cancer are considered modifiable, meaning you can take measures to change them. Having an increased body mass index or being overweight/ obese and having a sedentary lifestyle with little physical activity have been shown to increase the risk for breast cancer. So just by choosing a healthier lifestyle through maintaining a lower body weight, eating a balanced diet, and getting regular exercise, you could already lower your risk. Alcohol consumption has also been linked to breast cancer development. It doesn’t matter what type of alcohol you drink. It is the increased amount and frequency that raises the risk. Current or prior estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy, in the form of oral contraceptive pills and hormone replacement therapy, has also been associated with a slightly increased risk of breast cancer.
Other risk factors linked to breast cancer are non-modifiable. Being female is in itself already a risk factor as women are much more likely than men to develop breast cancer. As with other cancers, increasing age is also a risk factor. A positive family history or having first degree relatives diagnosed with breast cancer (i.e. parents, siblings, or children) also carries a higher risk to develop the disease.
Having these risk factors does not necessarily mean you will develop breast cancer. In fact, most patients with breast cancer will not be able to pinpoint the exact cause of their disease. This is the reason why breast awareness is important not just for those at high risk but also for low risk individuals.
Being aware of your body, including the changes your breasts undergo, is part of being proactive about your health. The most common symptom of breast disease is a lump or mass. Others include skin dimpling, nipple retraction or inversion of recent onset, breast pain, an axillary lump or mass, and nipple discharge. Having any of these symptoms should prompt a check up with your physician.
There are times though when breast disease presents only on imaging. Patients have no symptoms but the mammogram shows a suspicious abnormality such as a small mass, microcalcifications (calcium deposits in the breast tissue), or architectural distortion in the breast tissue, which cannot be felt on physical exam. Recent advances in technology has enabled us at St. Luke’s Medical Center to offer an alternative to this. A state-of-theart equipment available at St. Luke’s Breast Center is the prone stereotactic breast biopsy system, an innovative, minimally invasive biopsy device. This procedure is less invasive than an open surgical biopsy, causes minimal to no scarring, and has a faster recovery time. This helps us acquire a fast, highly accurate diagnosis with minimal tissue trauma and patient discomfort. In cases of small, benign or noncancerous abnormalities, the vacuum-assisted biopsy system can also be used to completely remove the lesion without the need for an open surgery.
Whatever your symptoms are or your risk factors, it is best to visit your physician and discuss breast cancer screening. Remember, early diagnosis is best when it comes to breast cancer. At St. Luke’s Medical Center, we have a multidisciplinary team of physicians backed up by state-of-the-art facilities to ensure the best for your breast health. St. Luke’s Breast Center is the only center in the country that has been awarded the gold seal of accreditation by the American College of Radiology for its Mammography, Breast Ultrasound and Stereotactic Biopsy. This gold seal ensures that the equipment meets the highest standard of image quality and patient safety and the facility meets the ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards.
Dr. Lorie Anne Ricohermoso earned her medical degree from St. Luke’s College of Medicine – William H. Quasha Memorial. She finished her general surgery residency at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City and subspecialty training for breast surgery at the University of Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital. For inquiries, contact the St, Luke’s-Quezon City Breast Center at 723-0101/0301 ext. 5205/5206.