Coming To Terms

We ask two experts for their insights and advice on breast cancer

- Stephanie De Souza

A positive cancer diagnosis often sends even usually calm people into a state of panic and emotional turmoil. But what is the real prognosis for breast cancer today?

Dr Ng Char Hong, consultant breast and breast reconstructive surgeon at Sunway Medical Centre, explains, “At present, there is a wide range of treatments for breast cancer, ranging from chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, as well as surgeries. The survival rate of breast cancer has improved greatly and the local recurrence rate has also decreased dramatically. It’s not purely based on surgeries but a combination of treatments available to treat that particular stage of cancer.”

Among the new and effective treatments that have become available in Malaysia is Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT). Dr Ng explains in detail: “IORT is recommended for patients who undergo lumpectomy (only a portion of the breast is removed) to reduce the risk of local recurrence. It’s given in one dose directly at where the cancer used to be. To be eligible for IORT, in general, patients need to be above the age of 45, the tumour has to be stage 1 or stage 2 cancer with no lymph nodes involved, no lymphovascular invasion, and their oestrogen receptors must be positive.”