Breast cancer on the rise in young women

It has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Indian women

Doctors in the city say that most young women do not schedule regular screenings, while some ignore warning signs thinking they are too young to suffer from breast cancer.

“You are never too young to suffer from breast cancer. Though almost 90 per cent of breast cancer cases occur in women above 50 years of age, an increasing number of young women are being diagnosed with the disease — especially in urban areas and metropolitan cities,” said Dr. Meenu Walia, Director (Medical Oncology, Max Super Specialty Hospital).

Dr. Walia added that breast cancer had overtaken cervical cancer to become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Indian women.

“Apart from its increasing incidence, the profile of patients and the disease has also changed in recent years,” she explained.

Doctors say that they are now seeing a trend where breast cancer in younger women is aggressive and less likely to respond to treatment.

Women who are diagnosed at a younger age are more likely to have mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes that present a poor prognosis, doctors say.

In 2013, American researchers analyzed cancer registry data between 1976 and 2009 and concluded that there was a steady rise in the number of young women reporting more aggressive forms of cancer.

Dr. P.K.Julka from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), who has been working in the field of cancer for several decades, says that all cancers (in both male and female) come to India a decade before western countries.

“For Delhiites, there is a rise in all forms of cancer. The main culprits include tobacco abuse, hereditary factor and wrong lifestyle. While tobacco is the leading contributor to cancer – around 40 per cent cases can be attributed to this – other causes include sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating and bad sexual habits,” said Dr. Julka.

The most damaging aspect of cancer detection and treatment in Delhi, according to Dr.Julka, is people’s belief that “this can’t happen to me”.

“By the time they reach the hospital, most are in the advanced stage. Maintaining a good health insurance cover is important, but also ensure that any persistent medical problem is looked into properly. These include a wound that doesn’t heal, cough, stubborn fever, lumps, change in any mole and bleeding. These are the first warning signs that your body is giving you,” he added.