October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many local and foreign celebrities are now wearing pink ribbons over their chest to raise awareness on breast cancer prevention. Thanks to the pink ribbons, more people now realize the importance of breast cancer prevention and treatment. Women are encouraged to take advantage of the golden window for treatment and embrace health through “early prevention, early detection, and early treatment.”

More than 34% of eligible women have not undergone breast cancer screening
The Health Promotion Administration’s (HPA’s) Cancer Registry data for 2021 and the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s (MOHW’s) 2023 mortality statistics showed that breast cancer was the most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of deaths among Taiwanese women. Those between the ages of 45 and 69 are at the highest risk of developing cancer. Around 34.5% of women between 45 and 70 (exclusive) have not undergone a mammogram (an X-ray examination of the breast ) so far. To keep breast cancer at bay, the HPA suggests that all women between the ages of 45 and 70 (inclusive), and those between the ages of 40 and 45 with a family history of breast cancer (if their grandmothers, mothers, daughters or sisters had been diagnosed with breast cancer before) should undergo one mammograph examination every two years.
Due to the aging society and increasing number of younger breast cancer patients, starting from next year (2025) the HPA will relax the age requirements for breast cancer screening. Eligibility will be expanded by five years at either end to include all women between the ages of 40 and 75 (inclusive). All eligible people are encouraged to take their NHI card to a medical institution, or contact their local health department or health center to arrange for a mammogram and ensure early detection/treatment.

Breast cancer screening with early detection and treatment delivers the best results

A mammogram has been clinically proven internationally as an effective method for the early detection of breast cancer and improving prognosis. It can detect calcifications or small nodules in the breast, as well as stage 0 breast cancer with no symptoms.
In 2023, 923,000 Taiwanese women underwent mammograms and 5,392 cases of breast cancer were detected. In other words, one case of breast cancer was found for every 169 women screened. Where breast cancer was detected during screening, in 59.7% of the cases the breast cancer was still in its early stage (stage 0 or stage 1), proving the cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening.
The key to treating cancer is “prevention is better than the cure.” Known risk factors for breast cancer include
early menarche, late menopause, never given birth or only gave birth to first child after 30 years of age, as well as no history of breastfeeding, a family history of breast cancer, having breast cancer susceptibility genes, past history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometrial cancer. Women should therefore not only check to see if they have the above risk factors for breast cancer, but also steer clear of carcinogenic factors such as tobacco and alcohol from an early age. They should eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and avoid excessive stress to lower the risk of breast cancer.

Embracing health through Early Prevention, Detection, and Treatment

Women should take the three following “early” actions to prevent breast cancer:
1. Early Prevention: Steer clear of carcinogenic factors such as tobacco and alcohol. Follow a balanced diet, cultivate healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly, maintain an ideal weight, and avoid excessive stress.
2. Early Detection: Eligible women should undergo regular screening to detect pathological changes in tissue early.
3. Early Treatment: If an anomaly is picked up during screening, seek follow-up diagnosis and treatment right away. The prognosis for breast cancer is good with early detection and treatment. Survival rate after five years is as high as 90%.
In addition to regular mammograms, if your breasts have any of these anormal symptoms: discharge from the nipple, particularly if it’s bloody or has a yellowish hue, nipple inversion, redness or itchy feel, as well as, breast lumps, resembling an orange peel, ulcer, or other anomalies on the skin, seek doctors/physicians right away to take advantage of the golden window offered by early diagnosis and treatment.