Journal of Oncology Translational Research

Tricks in breast cancer surgery

Abstract

Suheil Simaan

Breast Cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women accounting for about 30% of all female cancers. The average age of incidence varies among countries .While it is 62 years in the US, it is 48 years in the Arab countries. According to a recent statistics by me in Syria for example, 20% of cases occurred below the age of 40 (vs. 8% in the US). This has an important implication. A significant percentage of our BC cases occur at fertile age with high level of estrogen especially in pregnancy resulting in aggressive cancer. In dealing with breast cancer, we should be thinking of its biology. It is a slow growing cancer. By the time it is discovered mammo graphically (5 mm), it is 5 years old. Survival depends on the following five factors: 1. Size of lesion, 2. Grade, 3. Lymph node status, 4. Hormone receptor status, 5. Age of patient.