2.1. Breast cancer

According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, breast cancer is the type of cancer that mostly affects women countrywide, accounting for about 25% of the new cases each year. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in developed countries, falling only behind lung cancer [5]. The National Cancer Institute (Inca) reported that there are about 60,000 new breast cancer cases per year in Brazil, of which 15,000 lead to death.

According to the gynecologist Doctor Daniele Carvalho Mendes, the causes of the disease are varied, ranging from genetic mutations that might occur during a person's own lifetime up to certain changes to genes that control the way our cells function, especially how they grow and divide. Also, it can be caused by the habits that are proper of a social and/or cultural environment. Examples of such causes include alcohol abuse, overweight and a sedentary lifestyle. Doctor Mendes points out that clinical examination of the breasts should be performed annually by a gynecologist for women from the age of 25. Mammography should be done periodically after the woman reaches 40 years old. When necessary, the doctor may refer the patient to a mastologist for detailed examinations. As Doctor Mendes sees it, the possibility of having cancer is not cause for panic, since the treatment evolved to be increasingly individualized and based on the genetic profile of the tumor.
