Breast Cancer in India: A Growing Concern with Low Survival Rate

In India, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes, and she dies from it every eight minutes, according to UN advisor Dr Sabine Kapasi. The country is witnessing a worrying trend, with breast cancer being the most common form of cancer among Indian women, and the numbers are rising faster than ever before. Dr Kapasi attributes this to late diagnosis, which is costing lives. "Many women delay going to the doctor because they dismiss early warning signs or wait until the lump grows bigger," she explains. "This delay is one of the main reasons one out of every two women diagnosed with breast cancer in India does not survive it."

Key Takeaways:

• According to Globocon 2020 data, one woman in India is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes, and she dies from it every eight minutes.
• There are about 1.78 lakh new breast cancer cases every year, and if the current trend continues, the number is expected to cross two lakh by 2030.
• Many Indian women are getting breast cancer nearly a decade earlier than women in western countries.
• The majority of breast cancer cases in India are detected only when the disease has reached stage three or four, making treatment more complicated and reducing the chances of survival.
• The Ayushman Bharat scheme has made hospital care more accessible, but preventive care still doesn't get the same attention.
• New diagnostic technologies such as thermal imaging systems, portable ultrasound machines, molecular breast imaging, and contrast-enhanced mammography are helping doctors detect breast cancer earlier and with better accuracy.
• Digital health platforms like eSanjeevani and the NCD Portal are helping streamline the process linking patients, doctors, and screening records.
• Health experts are now shifting from a one-size-fits-all approach to a risk-based screening model, where screening frequency and methods depend on a woman's individual risk profile.
• Researchers are also exploring genetic testing to identify women who carry mutations linked to breast cancer, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Statistics:

• One woman in India is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes.
• One out of every two women diagnosed with breast cancer in India does not survive it.
• About 1.78 lakh new breast cancer cases are reported every year.
• The number of breast cancer cases in India is expected to cross two lakh by 2030.
• One in eight women in India will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Sources:

• Dr Sabine Kapasi, Gynecologist, IVF Specialist, and Global Health Strategist, Advisor at UN.
• Globocon 2020 data.
• Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres.
• eSanjeevani digital health platform.
• NCD Portal.