With being the most common type of cancer in women, breast cancer accounts for 14% of cancers in Indian population. It is reported that with every four minutes, an Indian woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is on the rise, both in rural and urban India.

Breast Cancer statistics recorded 1.8L  new registered cases and 90k reported deaths.

Cancer survival becomes more difficult in higher stages of its growth, and more than 50% of Indian women suffer from stage 3 and 4 of breast cancer. Post cancer survival for women with breast cancer was reported 60% for Indian women, as compared to 80% in the U.S.

Women can self-diagnose their condition and know of the presence of lumps or masses that suggest cancerous outgrowths. The very reason for a low breast cancer survival rate of women in India accounts from its lack of awareness and poor early screening and diagnosis rates. 

As the most common cancer type in Indian women, women in their early thirties till fifties are at considerable risk to develop breast cancer, and the incidence risk increases till its peak by the time they reach 50-64 years of age. One in twenty-eight Indian women is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime. It is more (1 in 22) for urban women than the rural group (1 in 60). 

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the country, having overtaken cervical cancer. In cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, breast cancer accounts for 25% to 32% of all female cancers, more than 1/4th of all female cancers.

It’s also more common in the younger age group. Almost 50% of all cases are in the age group of 25-50. And more than 70% of the cases present in the advanced stage had poor survival. 

The survival rates of breast cancer in India are low because the detection takes place late. The only way to change these numbers is by increasing awareness. Breast cancer is a treatable disease and chances of survival are higher if it’s detected in time. The only way to do so is by being aware of how it can be detected and early diagnosis can be done.

Prevention is a step away from cure. Be aware, be prepared.