Breast cancer not solely triggered by genetic factors, says oncologist

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Surgical oncology subspecialist Dr. I Gusti Ayu Nari Laksmi Dewi, SpB, Subsp.Onk (K) has stated that the belief that women without a genetic history of cancer will not develop breast cancer is a myth. According to her, breast cancer can be triggered by many causal factors, so it is not solely influenced by heredity. “It’s a myth. Breast cancer is actually multifactorial in its causes, so it cannot just be due to hereditary history alone, but also other causes,” said I Gusti Ayu at the Kaiser Cancer Center, BSD City, Tangerang, on Thursday. Besides genetic factors, breast cancer can also be caused by hormonal changes where high oestrogen levels, environmental exposure to electromagnetic radiation, and unhealthy lifestyles such as excessive alcohol consumption are contributing factors, according to a report on the website of the Directorate General of Advanced Health at the Ministry of Health. Gusti added that cancer in women, including breast cancer, often does not cause complaints, especially in the early stages, so it is only discovered after the lump has enlarged. “Indeed, many patients with complaints of a lump in the breast that turns out to be a malignant tumour or cancer initially had no symptoms, so it was painless. The lump then grew rapidly and only then caused symptoms,” she said. Furthermore, Gusti conveyed the importance of education regarding cancer, particularly concerning early detection efforts. According to her, the sooner cancer is detected through early detection, the greater the patient’s chance of recovery. Meanwhile, Founder and Managing Director of Kaiser Cancer Center, Dr. Adithia Kwee, said that cancer is one of the diseases that frequently affects women. “One in eight women is actually at risk of developing breast cancer. Breast cancer has the highest incidence among women, and currently we are also seeing cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer on the rise,” said Dr. Adithia. Based on data from BPJS Kesehatan, breast cancer cases have increased significantly by hundreds of thousands of cases over the period from 2021 to 2025. The number of cases increased by approximately 860,000 cases, rising from 1,080,031 cases in 2021 to 1,941,410 cases in 2025.