A Tale of Two Cancers: A Current Concise Overview of Breast and Prostate Cancer

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Breast and prostate cancers are serious public health issues that create considerable burden to both people and healthcare systems worldwide. Cancer is a heterogeneous disease influenced by numerous components, and its diverse intricate pathology challenges disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survival. Although recent statistics suggest improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment, many challenges remain before cancers are curable. This review presents relevant summarized information related to breast and prostate cancer. ABSTRACT: Cancer is a global issue, and it is expected to have a major impact on our continuing global health crisis. As populations age, we see an increased incidence in cancer rates, but considerable variation is observed in survival rates across different geographical regions and cancer types. Both breast and prostate cancer are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although cancer statistics indicate improvements in some areas of breast and prostate cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, such statistics clearly convey the need for improvements in our understanding of the disease, risk factors, and interventions to improve life span and quality of life for all patients, and hopefully to effect a cure for people living in developed and developing countries. This concise review compiles the current information on statistics, pathophysiology, risk factors, and treatments associated with breast and prostate cancer.