India shows sharp rise in breast cancer

The gravity of the situation is apparent from the fact that breast cancer that was once thought to be a disease of the rich has now acquired gigantic proportions. The incidence of breast cancer has steadily risen over the years with nearly 100,000 new patients being detected annually.

According to a statistics revealed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), one out of every 22 women in India is diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.

A study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) stated that there will be approximately 250,0000 new cases of breast cancer in India by 2015.

Dr. AK Khanna, head, department of General Surgery, Banaras Hindu University, stated that the ailment can acquire epidemic proportions in another ten years if the mechanism of detection is not put into place.

It is vital to spread awareness of the prevalence of this cancer. Health officials need to counsel women on undertaking self-breast examination (SBE), and encourage them to talk about the condition so that they can have a say in their own health.

Some insight into the problems of breast cancer
Giving some insight into the problems related with breast cancer, Dr. Khanna stated that there is no indication of pain or any visible signs of the ailment in the early stages.

Even when a lump raises its ugly head there is no soreness. As a result, most women are negligent and do not pay heed to what may be the germination of cancer.

According to Dr. Khanna, it is important not to trivialize the lump formation and consult a doctor immediately to rule out malignancy.

He further states that recent studies indicate that a large number of breast lumps are benign and only 10 percent are cancerous. However, it is imperative to confer with a physician in case of lump formation which can help catch breast cancer at an early, treatable stage.

Procedures like mammography, Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC), biopsy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal treatment need to be widely publicized so that women are aware of exactly what they are letting themselves in for.

Reasons for the rise in incidence of breast cancer
The problem with preventing breast cancer is that, though breast cancer is supposed to be more common among the affluent and the people exposed to the modern environment, no specific cause can be pinpointed as being the culprit.

A richer diet, smaller families, delayed childbearing, reduced breast-feeding, rising obesity, and increased alcohol consumption are cited as the prime reasons for the surge in the number of cases in India.

Breast cancer is also linked to genetics. The disease is supposed to be more widespread among women whose first relatives had the disease. Such women are "high-risk patients" and have to undergo the screening process nearly a decade earlier than women with a negative family background.