Bengaluru has the highest incidence of breast cancer cases among top metros in the country. With the occurrence rate of 36.1 per 1,00,000 female, it is higher than Mumbai at 32.3, New Delhi at 32.3, Chennai 31.5 and Kolkata 25.5, according to a report released by the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) recently. More worrying is the fact that youngsters are falling prey to breast cancer. What was once an ailment of women in their forties is now striking youngsters in their twenties. Twenty-two-year-old Jahanavi (name changed) had just finished her engineering course and was all set get into a job when her world around came crashing. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Just about a month ago Jahanavi had come to our OPD. She was diagnosed with a lump in her right breast and had undergone two chemotherapy sessions at some other hospital. But by the time she came to us, the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. We conducted few tests and now she is now undergoing treatment,” said Dr Kritika Murugan, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, HCG Hospital.
Narrating about another woman, 21-year-old Meera (name changed) Dr Kritika said, “Meera had just started working after her graduation and had come to our centre two months ago. After a few tests, we found that her cancer was at an advanced stage. But she failed to turn up after the diagnosis.” Change in lifestyle, food habits, smoking and alcohol consumption are the main reason behind increasing number of breast cancer cases among young women. Every year, October is observed as breast cancer awareness month.
Asked about the symptoms of breast cancer, Dr Kritika said, “Breast cancer patients do not suffer from any pain during initial stages, like in other forms of cancer. Women should regularly do self-examination of their breast and check for any growth of lumps around their breast. Early detection, followed by correct treatment is the best way to prevent and cure breast cancer.” A recent report in Lancet journal warned that breast cancer is soon going to be an epidemic in India, says Dr Kritika Murugan, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, HCG Hospital.