The Hindu : Women in metros more prone to breast cancer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 17, 2002

Other States

Other States - New Delhi

Women in metros more prone to breast cancer

By Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI NOV. 16. It is claimed by many that the Indian woman has finally taken the big leap towards a more independent life. Many even go on to add that she might actually be better than her male counterpart to take on the stress associated with it. But the "power and independence'' unfortunately do not come cheap, as city physicians point out. Many women, they say, are paying dearly for it, especially those in the metropolitan cities of Delhi and Mumbai.

A new study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conducted in Maharashtra points out that women living in metropolitan cities are more prone to breast cancer than the women elsewhere in the country (where the number one killer among cancers is cervical cancer).

It adds that Mumbai tops the charts with Delhi following a close second. The bad news is that Delhi women are now no longer second, with the Capital registering just as many cases of women with breast cancer as Mumbai.

According to Dr. P.K.Jhulka, Professor of Oncology at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, "this disturbing trend was noticed some years ago and we are attributing it to the drastic change in lifestyle, saturated fats and even those with a family history of the ailment."

According to the Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital (IRCH) -- Delhi, figures point that from the previous 26.2 per 100,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer in Delhi, numbers have increased to 28.2 per 100,000.

And while figure claim that Delhi women have already been lopped into the danger zone, physicians say it is not startling. "We have been warning women about the dangers associated with breast cancer and informing them they are at a greater risk as compared to women living anywhere else in the country.''

``Late marriages and pregnancy, social and professional stress, changing eating habits and rampant use of estrogen laced hormonal pills are the known culprits,'' says Dr. Sunil Kumar Gupta, senior consultant Dharamshila Cancer Hospital.

``The possible reason for the reduction in number of women afflicted with cervical cancer in these two cities could be the socio-economic development leading to better hygiene,'' points out Shyam Aggarwal, HoD Oncology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The bad news sadly does not end here.

Younger women are now coming in with complaints of the ailment. In fact, doctors point out that compared to the western countries India is a decade younger with all its cancer ailments.

The answer then, say physicians, is a better lifestyle management, healthy eating habits and a stress-free life.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

Stories in this Section

Mayor accused of withholding files

Buying a geyser, check these tests

Sheila Govt. on the defensive

Women in metros more prone to breast cancer