Breast cancer

Cancer of the breast
Cancer care
cancer diagnosis

Cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts and can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women.

Share article

How common is breast cancer?

Below are a series of statistics on breast cancer giving an indication on how common the disease is.

1 in 27
1 in 27
1 in 27
risk for women aged 15 years and older.

Other types of cancer screenings

Below you can find information on other types of cancer screenings that you might be interested in.

Breast cancer

The cancer that affects women in South Africa the most

Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts and can occur in...

Cervical cancer

A disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the cervix

Cervical cancer is nearly always caused by infection with human papillomavirus...

Colorectal cancer

A disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the colon

Signs of colon cancer include blood in the stool or a change in bowel habits...

Prostate cancer

One of the most common types of cancer in men

Prostate cancer occurs in the prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland in men that...

Skin cancer

A disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the skin

Skin cancer can occur anywhere on the body, but it is most common in skin that..

Lung cancer

Cancer that begins in the lungs

People who smoke are at a greater risk of getting lung cancer, though lung cancer can also occur in people who...

 
 
 

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts and can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women.

In recent years breast cancer survival rates have increased, and the number of deaths associated with this disease are steadily declining. This is largely due to earlier screening and detection.

Mammography is the most common screening test for breast cancer.

A mammogram is a picture of the inside of the breast. Mammography may find tumors that are too small to feel.

There are three types of mammograms:

  • Film mammography is an x-ray picture of the breast.
  • Digital mammography is a computer picture of the breast.
  • Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) uses x-rays to take a series of pictures of the breast from many different angles. A computer is used to make 3-D pictures of the breast from these x-rays.

Many factors affect whether mammography is able to detect breast cancer:

  • The age and weight of the patient
  • The size and type of tumor
  • Where the tumor has formed in the breast
  • How sensitive the breast tissue is to hormones
  • How dense the breast tissue is
  • The timing of the mammography within the woman's menstrual cycle
  • The quality of the mammogram picture
  • The skill of the radiologist in reading the mammogram
In recent years breast cancer survival rates have increased

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to screen women who have a high risk of breast cancer.

MRI is a procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). MRI does not use any x-rays and the woman is not exposed to radiation.

MRI may be used as a screening test for women who have a high risk of breast cancer. Factors that put women at high risk include the following:

  • Certain gene changes, such as changes in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
  • A family history (first degree relative, such as a mother, daughter or sister) with breast cancer
  • Certain genetic syndromes, such as Li-Fraumeni or Cowden syndrome

Women with dense breasts who have supplemental screening (for example, an MRI) show higher rates of breast cancer detection, but there is limited evidence about whether this leads to better health outcomes.

Other screening tests have been or are being studied in clinical trials.

Studies have been done to find out if the following breast cancer screening tests are useful in finding breast cancer or helping women with breast cancer live longer.

other screening tests have been or are being studied in clinical trials.

studies have been done to find out if the following breast cancer screening tests are useful in finding breast cancer or helping women with breast cancer live longer.

breast exam

A clinical breast exam is an exam of the breast by a doctor or another health professional. he or she will carefully feel the breasts and under the arms for lumps or anything else that seems unusual. It is not known if having clinical breast exams decreases the chance of dying from breast cancer.

thermography

Thermography is a procedure in which a special camera that senses heat is used to record the temperature of the skin that covers the breasts. Tumors can cause temperature changes that may show up on the thermogram.

There have been no randomized clinical trials of thermography to find out how well it detects breast cancer.

tissue sampling

Breast tissue sampling is taking cells from breast tissue to check under a microscope. Breast tissue sampling as a screening test has not been shown to decrease the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Find care for breast cancer?

Find healthcare providers and facilities that specialise in treating breast cancer.

View Healthcare Providers View Healthcare Facilities