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Breast cancer is one
of the leading causes of mortality among patients suffering from cancer
worldwide. According to the recent data given by Globacan 2018, breast cancer
among Indian women is the highest worldwide. There is an increase in the trend
of new cancer patients, and the age group of new patients coming annually have
gradually dropped from <55 years to under 40 years of age. As per the data
recorded in ICMR 2018, over 1.5 lakh new breast cancer patients have been
recorded in India last year.
In India, one in
twenty five people are diagnosed with breast cancer annually which as compared
to developed countries like US/ UK is less where 1 in 8 patients are diagnosed
annually. However due to the fact that awareness among the developed countries
being quite prominent, such high number of cases are diagnosed and treated in
early stages and hence the survival rates are better. When considered the
Indian scenario, the survival rates are quite low due to high population ratio
and low awareness. One out of two diagnosed die within next five years which
attributes to 50% mortality rates. Many patients in the urban are diagnosed at
stage two when the T2 lesions are palpable lumps, but in cases of rural areas,
these lesions are diagnosed only after they transform to metastatic tumors.
Globally, 7% of the
population under the age of 40 years is suffering from breast cancer, whereas
in India, the rate is double i.e. 15%. And out of which 1% of the patients are
male, which put together has the highest count of breast cancer patients from
India globally. Apart from being hereditary, many other risk factors like sedentary
lifestyle, bingeing on alcohol, smoking, increasing obesity among youngsters,
stress and poor dietary intake have been attributed to increase in the
incidences of breast cancer among the young Indian women. According to a study
conducted by NCBI 2016, vegetarian women are 40% less vulnerable to breast
cancer.
Why
we have more advanced cancers?
The grades and stages
of breast cancer in Indian patients are higher as compared to other countries.
Even among the literate population who resort to curative rates and opt for
alternative treatment options. Many misconceptions and lack of awareness
regarding chemotherapy or mastectomy surgeries keep them away from getting
treatment on time and they opt for alternative medicines. Initially such
treatments are luring for the patients but as the stages grow and are beyond
their control, patients opt for allopathic treatment. Such conditions prevent
them from getting timely treatment.
Early
diagnosis is the key to treatment
Over the last decade,
even though there is a rise in incidence of breast cancer, but with awareness,
access and changing paradigms in cancer care, the mortality rate has come down
gradually.
Even though symptoms
may not be persistent while diagnosing and sometimes screening may be done at
early stages which may require different treatments and therefore the
specialist may prescribe the best suitable treatment. Though treatment for
breast cancer has undergone major breakthroughs, its cure and treatment solely
depends on the grade and stage at which it has been diagnosed. Based on this,
you will be advised to undergo one of these treatments, or a combination:
Surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and biological therapy
(targeted therapy). The doctor will consider the following while deciding
the treatment –
Awareness should be created among masses to get
most breast cancers detectable at early stages, as most women with breast cancer
arrive after metastasis (when the tumor has spread to other body parts). In metastatic or advanced stages of cancer,
it isn’t completely curable and the treatment aims to achieve remission (where
the tumor shrinks or disappears).There are two main types of breast cancer
surgeries –
- Dr Rohan Khandelwal, Breast Cancer Surgeon, CK Birla Hospital for Women, Gurugram
