Cancer is described as an erratic, uninhibited growth of abnormal cells that may originate in

any body organ or tissue. They grow in an uncontrolled and disorganized pattern
reproducing endlessly thus causing tumor, a pile up of abnormal cells, in the process (Yance,
2006). Cancer has inflicted humans with records transcribed in papyrus since 1500 B.C. in
Egypt with eight cases of tumor affecting the breast until today. Breast cancer, is a
potentially deadly disease affecting one out of eight women (Vadivelu, Schreck, Lopez,
Kodumudi, and Narayan 2008). It is globally considered a major public health concern for it
is the leading cause of death in women ages 40 to 49 years worldwide (Taghian, El-Ghamry
and Merajver, 2013). More than a million develop the disease without knowing it, and almost
500,000 women die from it every year (Philippine Breast Cancer Network, 2008).

The

Philippines has the highest incidence of breast cancer in Southeast Asia and ranks 9 th in the
world in breast cancer incidence (Asian Hospital and Medical Center, 2012). It has already
overtaken lung cancer as the most prevalent form of cancer in the country as of the year
2012. The Philippines also had the lowest survival rate of people with breast cancer among
15 countries in Asia. Among the Filipino women population, 3% will get breast cancer before
the age of 75 and 1% will die before reaching such age (Philippine Society of Medical
Oncology, 2012).

Reference:

Yance, D. (2006) Targeting Angiogenesis With Integrative Cancer Therapies. Integr

Cancer Ther March 2006 5: 9-2

Taghian, A., El-Ghamry, M., &Merajver, S. (2013).Overview of the treatment of the

newly diagnosed, non-metastatic breast cancer.Wolters Kluwer Health.

Vadivelu N, Schreck M, Lopez J, Kodumudi G, Narayan D. : Pain after mastectomy and

breast reconstruction
Asian Hospital and Medical Center (2012). Breast Cancer: Screening for Early
Detection. Retrieved on March 13, 2013 from http://www.asianhospital.com/healthalert/breast-cancer/

National Comprehensive Cancer Network.(2006). Clinical Practice Guidelines in

Oncology-volume 1.Available from www.nccn.org.