Sunway Pink October - Stronger Together

01/10/2025

The Truth About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer develops when cells in the breast begin to grow uncontrollably and form a malignant tumour. It is the most common cancer affecting women worldwide, though men can also be diagnosed in rare cases (approximately 0.5–1% of all cases).

Notably, around half of all breast cancer cases develop in women who have no specific risk factors other than sex and age. This underlines the importance of early detection and awareness for all women, not just those considered high-risk.

On this October month, Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City celebrates #SunwayPinkOctober to raise awareness among the public about the importance of breast cancer prevention, early detection, and timely treatment.

Common Types of Breast Cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) — A non-invasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of the breast ducts. Because the cells are confined to the ducts, DCIS has not spread into surrounding breast tissue; it is often described as stage 0.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) — Sometimes called lobular neoplasia. LCIS is not usually considered invasive cancer but is an indicator that a person has an increased risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the future. (Certain variants such as pleomorphic LCIS may be managed more aggressively.)
Invasive (infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC) — The most common type of invasive breast cancer. IDC starts in the milk ducts, then breaks through the duct wall and can invade surrounding tissue and spread to lymph nodes or other organs.
Invasive (infiltrating) lobular carcinoma (ILC) — Begins in the lobules (milk-producing glands). Like other invasive cancers, ILC can spread beyond the breast; it may be harder to detect on some imaging tests.

Warning signs
Seek medical review if there is a new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit, changes in breast size/shape, skin dimpling or redness, nipple inversion or unusual discharge (not breast milk), persistent breast pain, or skin changes around the nipple. Early assessment improves outcomes.

Risk factors
Well-established factors include:

being female
increasing age
inherited gene changes (BRCA1/2)
a strong family history
high breast density
excess body weight (especially post-menopause)
alcohol consumption.

Some evidence also links smoking and unhealthy diets with modest increases in risk.

Prevention
No guaranteed prevention, but risk can be reduced by maintaining a healthy weight, regular physical activity, limiting alcohol, quitting smoking, and following screening recommendations. People at very high genetic risk may consider medical risk-reducing options after specialist genetic counselling.

Take charge of your breast health today.
In conjunction with Pink October, Sunway Medical Centre offers comprehensive breast cancer screening, early detection services, and advanced treatment options. Enjoy 25% off when you use promo code PINKOCT25 at checkout.