Greatly reduce your risk of breast cancer with examinations

Breast cancer in South Africa does not discriminate – it is the most common cancer in all of our country’s women, next to non-melanoma skin cancer.

According to the South African National Cancer Registry’s (NCR’s) latest report, 1 in 27 South African women have a lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.

The NCR is South Africa’s main source of cancer incidence data since 1986.

However, despite breast cancer’s prevalence in women, South African men are also afflicted, even though it is a rare occurrence.

Cancer awareness advocates across civil society and within government entities, strongly call for early detection that’s only able to occur when regular breast examinations are conducted.

An estimated 90% of patients survive for many years when it’s detected in its early stages.

There are several ways to go about this:

• Clinical breast examinations
• Mammograms
• Breast self-examinations
• MammaPrint (genomic testing)

These examinations can be done in your home, local health clinic or by referral from your physician.

Roughly 30-50% of cancers are preventable if lifestyles are changed to reduce the risk.

Take the lifestyle risk assessment here and watch how to correctly do a monthly breast self-examination.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)