Hyderabad: More people are suffering from breast cancer in India than those suffering from cervical cancer, revealed the statistics released by GLOBOCAN 2012, an international agency on cancer research. The month of October is observed as the Cancer Awareness Month.
The statistics show that breast cancer is not just common in the cities, but is also spreading among rural Indians. According to the data, as many as 1.6 million cases are reported annually.
Dr Amit K. Jotwani, consultant radiation oncologist at Yashoda Cancer Institute, said “Younger women in the age group of 30 to 50 years are being diagnosed with the disease now. In the younger patients, the disease is very aggressive and progresses very fast. This requires an equally aggressive form of treatment. The incidence of breast cancer in India has doubled in the past 15 years.” The undivided Andhra Pradesh ranked fifth in India in the number of deaths due to breast cancer. A rough estimate states that 3,750 women died of breast cancer in AP in 2010.
In AP and Telangana state, the ‘triple negative variety’ of breast cancer is found to occur, said a study.
Breast cancers are divided in to three prognostic categories based on hormone receptor positivity. Triple hormone negative is one of the forms. Oncologists state that triple negative variety is most aggressive form of disease and the risk of recurrence is higher even after full treatment.
Dr M. Babaiah of American Institute of Oncology said, “Change in lifestyle and lack of physical activity are causing problem.” Oncologists said fat deposition in the body leads to increase in estrogen hormone and tends to stimulate formation of cancerous tumours.
