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What information do we have about the Eastern Board area?
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What is happening in the Eastern Board area?

Cancer is a term for a group of diseases in which abnormal cells start to develop in a part of the body e.g. the breast. These abnormal malignant cells continue to grow and then spread (metastasise) through the blood stream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body such as the lymph glands, liver or brain. Cancer of the breast can be detected at an early stage by a mammogram (special X-ray) or by breast self-examination. It is very difficult to distinguish between a cancerous (malignant) lump and a harmless (benign) lump on examination and further tests may be required.

The Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR), based in Queen's University Belfast, collects information about cancer in Northern Ireland from a range of sources to accurately record the number and type of all cases of cancer in Northern Ireland. The NICR then provides information about the number of new cases of cancer each year (incidence) and the number of existing cases of cancer (prevalence) for all the different cancer types. The NICR now has data going back to 1993, which enables us to see the trends in cancer types over time.

Cancer is predominantly a disease of middle age and old age. According to data from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, half of all patients are aged 68 or over at the time of diagnosis. Females have a 1-in-8 chance and males a 1-in-6 chance, of dying of cancer by age 74. One in three people will develop some type of cancer during their lifetime, but the news is not all bad. With increasing research and new treatment, many types of cancer can be cured or at least halted for a time.

The Northern Ireland Cancer Registry reports that in 2001, breast cancer accounted for approximately one fifth of all cancers registered in females. Half of the cases were diagnosed in women under 60 years of age. Cancer of the breast was the most common cancer diagnosis and most common cancer death in females in Northern Ireland. Interestingly, the following year it was overtaken by lung cancer as the most common cancer death in women. On a more positive note, 82% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are still alive five years later.

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Reducing risk
Although the number of deaths from breast cancer is relatively small, we aim to decrease the rate still further. Research has identified a number of risk factors. Many of these cannot be changed, such as age or family history. However, there are some modifiable factors. These are listed below:

	Not having children, or having a first baby after 30 years of age increases the risk of breast cancer.
	Lack of breastfeeding increases risk.
	Hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of breast cancer.
	Obesity and alcohol consumption contribute to increased risk.
	Four to five hours of exercise per week can reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Early detection – screening
The outlook (prognosis) for patients with cancer is better if the cancer is detected as early as possible. In the case of breast cancer women are advised to conduct breast self-examination to detect any change in the breast or any lumps that occur. Many of these are not cancerous, but a check up is advisable. For women in the 50 to 64 age group, the Northern Ireland Screening programme will issue an invitation to attend for a mammogram every three years. A mammogram is a special X-ray of the breast tissue and is able to select those women who require further examination to determine whether they might have cancer. For further details of this process, please see section on breast screening.

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