If you’re on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you might have bumped into this: #pinkoctober. If you have been in the mall in the month of October, you probably saw shelves packed with pink products. Pink was just everywhere last month? But did you wonder what was that all about?

Among females, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, according to the announcement of the American Cancer Society in September 2018. Statistics also show that the 5 - and 10 -year relative survival rates for invasive breast cancer are 90% and 83%, respectively. 62% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage (no metastasis to lymph nodes, nearby structures, or other organs outside the breast), for which the 5-year survival is 99%.

Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women and the second most common cancer overall (after lung cancer). There were over 2 million new breast cancer cases reported in 2018 in the statistics of oncology. 

What is cancer? This seemingly simple question would make a lot of people think a lot once they were asked it. While, due to changing environment and ageing of societies, we meet more and more people who undergo therapy, we often have no idea what is it, apart from the fact that it is deadly or harmful to our body.

It sometimes seems as if only so-called ‘normal' people have their cancer stories. With breast cancer it is the same; it would be hard for us to name any celebrities who are breast cancer survivors. Despite them participating in breast cancer awareness events, it still doesn't cross our minds that stars as everybody else on this planet have their breast cancer stories.

Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the breast generally caused by aging, genetic factors, overweight, lack of exercise, smoking, drinking alcohol, eating unhealthy food and radiation exposure to chest or face.