#AskMeAnything: Too Much Sugar Causes Breast Cancer? | Breast Health Myths Debunked

Having a breast lump means I have breast cancer? Breast cancer causes pain in the breast?There is so much information about breast cancer that many of us may be misinformed. This can lead to unnecessary consequences such as fear or even seeking treatment too late.Watch our very first #AskMeAnything video where Dr Tang Siau-Wei, Senior Consultant and Breast Surgeon debunked common myths about breast health and breast cancer.Myths Debunked:Myth 1: Having a breast lump means I have breast cancerMyth 2: Breast cancer causes pain in the breastMyth 3: The older a woman is, the lesser the chance of breast cancerMyth 4: Consuming too much sugar causes breast cancerVideo reviewed by Dr Tang Siau-Wei, Senior Consultant and Breast Surgeon at Solis Breast Care & Surgery Centre.
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Media Experiential Day and the Unveiling of The Art of Hope, A Silent Art Auction

Image reference: Solis Breast Care and Surgery Centre’s seven leading surgeons and Luma Women’s Imaging Centre’s leading radiologists. From left to right: Dr Tan Yah Yuen, Dr Lim Siew Kuan, Dr Lee Wai Peng, Dr Joy Lee, Dr Chan Ching Wan, Dr Esther Chuwa, Dr Tang Siau-Wei, Dr Henry Oscar and Dr Eugene OngSolis Breast Care and Surgery Centre (Solis) and Luma Women’s Imaging Centre (Luma) welcomed the media and invited guests on 25 May 2022 for a media experiential day – an exclusive opportunity to find out how Solis and Luma work hand-in-hand together and becoming an integrated breast centre in Singapore, bringing together breast surgeons and breast radiologists to provide personalised breast care that patients deserve.Image Reference: Dr Tan Yah Yuen sharing about the inception of Solis and how all the surgeons decided to come together as one (Solis) teamWelcome speeches were shared by Dr Tan Yah Yuen, Medical Director, Senior Consultant and Breast Surgeon of Solis Breast Care and Surgery Centre and Dr Eugene Ong, Imaging Director, Consultant, Radiologist, and Co-founder of Luma Women’s Imaging Centre. The media also had an exclusive tour and were introduced to the facilities’ diagnostics equipment (i.e. 3D mammogram, ultrasound, MRI, Operating Theatre and more), to gain insights on how Solis and Luma strive to deliver professional expertise and experience for the patients.In the pursuit to educate and raise more awareness on breast care and breast health, Solis unveiled The Art of Hope as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts.Image Reference: Guests and media viewing the art pieces at Solis ParagonThe Art of Hope is a silent art auction where part of the sales proceeds raised will be donated to Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) to offer complimentary consultation, diagnostics, and/or treatments to care for female foreign domestic workers. Miss Ruchita Chheda, representative and Senior Manager from HOME was also invited to share a few words about this meaningful partnership that the NGO is looking forward to helping its beneficiaries.Image Reference: Media roundtable session exclusively led and moderated by Dr Esther Chuwa (standing)The media experiential day concluded with a fruitful media roundtable session, exclusively led and moderated by Dr Esther Chuwa, Senior Consultant and Breast Surgeon of Solis Breast Care and Surgery Centre. Many took the opportunity to learn more about breast health care, how CAN-CARE our post-care partner help cancer patients and survivors cope with their lifestyle and emotional needs, and essentially how Solis and Luma come together as a multidisciplinary approach, providing comprehensive and personalised care from consultation, diagnostics to treatments and after care for the patients.Stay tune for more post-event updates on our social media platforms and upcoming newsletter!About The Art of Hope: A Silent Art AuctionThe Art of Hope showcases a beautiful one-of-a-kind art exhibition for patients, caregivers, and the public. As the theme suggests, the art pieces seek to instil HOPE and bring forth the message that there is HOPE in the fight against breast cancer. Joining Solis on this meaningful initiative are local artists Christina Lau, Christine Lok, Gale Choong, Ieo Gek Ching, Jennifer Soon, and Zhang Kaini.Artworks by the collaborating artists will be displayed in Solis Paragon from 25 May – 30 September 2022 on a rotational basis.Interested bidders may check out the artworks physically in the clinic or on the silent art auction page.
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Getting To Know Dr Tan Yah Yuen

Get up close with our breast specialists and hear more from them on their philosophy for patient care and interesting personal anecdotes.“I enjoy doing my work because it is not static – we are always looking at new and better ways at treatment, doing less to achieve more, and ultimately improving patients’ outcomes and quality of life.”Dr Tan is our Senior Consultant and Breast Surgeon practicing at Solis. She is a key opinion leader in her field and is actively involved in the training of breast surgeons in the region.Q. Why did you choose to become a breast surgeon?During my surgical training, I opted to sub-specialise in breast surgery because as a woman, I felt I was able to relate and empathize with the patients better. Breast cancer treatment also involves multiple disciplines, a lot of interaction and discussion with colleagues such as radiologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, genetic counsellors and more, and the science behind breast cancer is fascinating and constantly evolving. I enjoy it because it is not static, we are always looking at new and better ways at treatment, doing less to achieve more, and ultimately improving patients’ outcomes and quality of life.Q. Share with us a patient’s story that left a deep impression on youThere are countless stories of my patients that have become unforgettable memories for me. A handful are sad stories – when the patient comes at a terminally ill stage due to fear of treatment at the beginning. But most memories are wonderful and encouraging stories of courage and faith in battling cancer, and of triumph year after year when they return for reviews in the pink of health and with a zest of life! These patients constantly inspire us to improve cancer care, from screening to diagnosis, to surgical techniques and multi-disciplinary care.Q. What is ONE myth or message that you would like women to know about breast cancer?Breast cancer is one of the most treatable cancers and many women continue to lead fulfilling lives after treatment, sometimes even better lives! The key is early diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, women who have worrying symptoms of breast cancer should not fear coming forward to seek treatment. Surgical outcomes are getting better all the time, including breast reconstruction. Chemotherapy is also often not required especially in early stages. Hence, it is important that women consult a doctor early and it may make all the difference!Q. What do you do during your free time?I enjoy the outdoors – currently my go-to weekend activity is hiking and my favourite place is MacRitchie Reservoir where I used to jog. I have tried my hands at table tennis, dragon boat racing, kayaking, diving, tennis and marathons during different phases of my life! Regular exercise is important because it reduces the risk of various cancers including breast cancer. When at home, I explore different cooking recipes especially desserts!Q. What do you think you will be doing if you didn’t become a breast surgeon?My first ambition as a young child was to be a fireman (or firewoman)! This was after watching a thrilling movie where the fireman saved many people stranded in a burning skyscraper. When I grew older, I realized that I enjoy working with my hands, so if I didn’t become a doctor I would probably try something like woodwork or metal work, although I am not sure if I am artistic enough!Article contributed and reviewed by Dr Tan Yah Yuen, Senior Consultant and Breast Surgeon at Solis Breast Care & Surgery
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