[Kkok! Health] Breast Cancer 5-Year Survival Rate Hits 94.7%... Early Detection and Follow-Up Care Are Key

Age, Hormones, Family History, and Other Factors Play a Role

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Korea, but when detected early and treated appropriately, it can have a favorable prognosis. As treatment outcomes improve, a comprehensive approach is becoming increasingly important, encompassing early detection through regular screening, individual risk assessment, and health management after treatment.

According to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 29,715 women in Korea were newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, making it the most common cancer among women. The five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer from 2019 to 2023 was 94.7%. Relative survival refers to the survival rate of cancer patients compared with that of the general population.

Breast cancer risk is influenced by a combination of factors, including age, hormone exposure, family history, genetic factors, obesity, and alcohol consumption. Although it is common among middle-aged women, it can also develop at a young age, so age alone should not be used to determine risk. It is important to understand your risk factors and get screened regularly.

A Lump or a Change in Shape May Be a Warning Sign

If you feel a lump in your breast or notice a change in the shape of one breast, you should have the cause checked. Medical attention is also needed if the skin becomes dimpled, a nipple becomes newly inverted, or bloody nipple discharge occurs. These symptoms do not necessarily mean breast cancer, but they should not be ignored. Korea's National Cancer Screening Program provides mammograms every two years for women aged 40 and older.

Not everyone with a finding of "dense breasts" on a screening requires additional tests. Dense breasts have more glandular tissue and relatively less fatty tissue, which can make abnormalities harder to see on a mammogram because they may be obscured by normal tissue. However, dense breasts do not in themselves indicate cancer. Whether to undergo breast ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be determined by considering family history, individual risk, mammogram findings, and other factors.

Assessing genetic risk is also important. Some breast cancers are associated with pathogenic variants in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. People with close family members who have had breast or ovarian cancer, those diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age, or those who have developed cancer in both breasts may discuss the need for genetic testing with a specialist. Eligibility for testing and its scope are determined based on age at diagnosis, cancer characteristics, family history, and relevant clinical guidelines.

Ongoing Care Is Needed Even After Treatment Ends

Genetic test results can also affect the choice of medication, surgery, and plans for additional treatment. If a pathogenic variant is identified, the results can be used to develop an individualized screening and prevention strategy and to support recommendations that family members receive genetic counseling and testing. However, a variant of uncertain significance should not be interpreted as meaning that the risk of developing cancer is high. In addition to tests for hereditary cancer, other tests analyze gene expression in cancer tissue to assess the risk of recurrence and the potential benefits of chemotherapy. Patients should ask their medical team about the purpose of each test and what its results mean.

Ongoing care remains important after treatment ends. Depending on whether lymph nodes in the armpit were removed during surgery, lymphedema may develop. Limited shoulder movement, pain, fatigue, and sleep problems may also occur. Patients should exercise and undergo rehabilitation as advised by their medical team, and seek medical attention if a new swelling or discomfort develops in the arm or hand.

Yoon Changik, a professor of breast surgery at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, said, "Personalized care based on a patient's age, cancer type, stage, and genetic characteristics is important. Regular follow-up tests should be used to check for recurrence and monitor the health of the other breast, while lifestyle measures such as weight management, regular physical activity, and avoiding or limiting alcohol should also be maintained."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.