Ten Facts About Breast Cancer

Pop star Kylie Minogue overcame it. Hollywood actor Christina Applegate survived it. Famous singer and actor Olivia Newton John faced it. These strong women fought breast cancer bravely and are today leading normal lives.

But there’s more to breast cancer than these survival stories. There are many facts about breast cancer that we don’t know. Even today we talk about this condition in hushed tones and refuse to acknowledge its seriousness.
We give you 10 facts about this big C that you should know. Hopefully, this will help you sit up and understand the significance of regular check-ups.

1. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among Indian women.

2. Approximately one lakh new cases of breast cancer are detected every year in the sub-continent.

3. The risk of a breast cancer is one in 30 in urban India and one in 65 in rural India. These figures are due to failure in detection in early stages.

4. Early detection can increase chances of cure in 80% cases.

5. In the last decade, breast cancer has overtaken cervical cancer as the most common cancer among women in major metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi.

6. Approximately 90,000 breast cancer cases were detected in 2008 with over 48,000 deaths in the sub-continent. If this condition is not detected sooner, then it’s estimated that these figures could go up to 1,00,000 with over 55,000 deaths by 2010.

7. The number of new breast cancer patients annually at The Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai has risen from 1,800 to 3,200 in the past 10 years.
8. Goa has the highest number of breast cancer cases in the country.

9. According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is all set to outpace heart ailments as the biggest killer in the next two years. It also says that cancer diagnosis has been steadily rising and will soon touch the 12 million mark this year. By 2030, new cancer cases could rise to 27 million with up to 17 million deaths.

10. Breast cancer is on the rise largely due to changing lifestyle and dietary patterns among women in urban India. With fewer women opting for babies and lactating for lesser time than their mothers, they are at a higher risk of facing this condition.

According to Devieka Bhojwani, Vice President, Women’s Cancer Initiative Tata Memorial Hospital, “most cases of breast cancer are curable if detected in its earlier stages.” “One of the biggest fears that keep women from going in for breast check ups is the fear of losing a breast.

However, treatments available in India today have reached a level of sophistication where you don’t have to lose a breast to cancer,” she says.This is why it’s important to create awareness about regular check-ups.So what are you waiting for?

Go set a reminder on your phone for your mammogram now!