6 important things doctors in Singapore want women to know about breast cancer symptoms, risks and screening

When women are first told they have breast cancer, the reaction is often of shock and disbelief. “But I’m healthy. I have no family history. How could this happen to me?” is a common refrain, said Dr Ang Wei-Wen, a consultant breast surgeon at Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s (TTSH) Breast Surgery Service.

Many assume that breast cancer only strikes those with “bad genes” or unhealthy lifestyles. In reality, the top female cancer in Singapore can happen to anyone, with many cases occurring spontaneously, said Dr Ang. 

Dr Sabrina Ngaserin, senior consultant breast surgeon and medical director of Breast Surgery Care Partners, added: “Only about five to 10 per cent of breast cancer cases are thought to be inherited. For most women, there is no single clear cause. Breast cancer typically develops from a combination of different factors.”

What’s worrying is that about one in 10 cases of all breast cancer cases in Singapore are diagnosed at Stage 4 – far higher than in other developed countries, Dr Ngaserin noted. 

In South Korea for instance, Stage 4 diagnoses accounted for less than one per cent of new cases in 2021, according to the Korean Breast Cancer Society registry. 

Part of the problem, Dr Ngaserin said, is that some older women delay seeking help because they assume that the absence of pain means nothing serious.

“Meanwhile, younger women in their 20s or 30s do come forward when they notice changes, but are sometimes falsely reassured since benign breast conditions are far more common at their age,” she added.

Doctors tell CNA Women that staying informed and acting early upon noticing changes can make a big difference.  

1. BREAST CANCER CAN AFFECT ANY AGE GROUP

No age group is spared from breast cancer, said Dr Lim Sue Zann, a senior consultant and breast surgeon at Solis Breast Care and Surgery Centre. She recalls that her youngest patient was just 19 years old when she was diagnosed; her oldest, 98.