Women diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age or at a more advanced stage were at higher risk of the disease spreading to other parts of the body upon recurrence, a Hong Kong study has found.

Non-profit organisation the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation released its latest registry report on Monday and urged women to perform self-examinations monthly.

The report included data from more than 26,000 patients diagnosed with breast cancer from 2006 onwards.

Part of the report examined risk factors for distant recurrence of breast cancer, where the disease returns after initial treatment and spreads to other parts of the body such as the lungs, bones or liver from the original breast tumour.

“Early detection and regular follow-up monitoring are very important, especially to women younger than 40 years old,” said clinical oncologist Inda Soong Sung, a member of the steering committee of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry, which is under the foundation.

The latest study analysed data from 4,230 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2006 and 2013 who underwent surgery. Among them, 611 experienced distant recurrence within 10 years, while 3,619 did not have a return of the disease.