Biological indices in the assessment of breast cancer

摘要

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumour among women in Australia and the United States, afflicting one in 13 and one in eight women respectively during their lifetime. It is a major public health problem worldwide with an estimated 600 000 new cases per year. While most occur among women in the so called developed countries, where breast cancer accounts for nearly 25% of all new cancers, developing countries are not spared, with nearly 250 000 cases per year, representing 14% of the total cancer incidence.