Breast cancer is the third leading cause of death in Moldova. Last year, 1,307 persons were diagnosed with breast cancer, while 471 persons died from this disease. In total 11,488 persons with breast cancer were under the supervision of doctors in 2022. The data were presented by the National Public Health Agency in connection with the celebration of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, IPN reports.
The Agency noted that breast cancer incidence in Moldova in 2022 was 51.5 cases per 100,000 people, while the death rate from breast cancer was 18.6 deaths per 100,000 people.
According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it’s far more common in women. Many health systems in low- and middle-income countries are least prepared to manage the cancer burden, and large numbers of cancer patients globally do not have access to timely quality diagnosis and treatment. The 5-year survival rate of patients with breast cancer in high-income countries exceeds 90%, as opposed to 66% in India and 40% in South Africa.
Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control. There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules. Breast cancer can spread outside the breast through blood vessels and lymph vessels. When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is said to have metastasized.
Some risk factors arise from elements that cannot be change, for example gender, age, or family history. Other, “modifiable” risk factors, such as diet and exercise patterns, can be changed to decrease the risk. The most important risk factors for breast cancer are being female and increasing age. The 5-year survival rate for women diagnosed with localized breast cancer is 99%.
