Over two-fold rise in breast cancer incidence in 30 years

Over two-fold rise in breast cancer incidence in 30 years

The incidence of breast cancer in India has more than doubled over the past three decades, experts said at an international oncology conference in Kolkata on Friday, while warning that gaps in access to treatment continue to affect many patients.

Experts participating in the India edition of the St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference said there was a steady increase in breast cancer cases in the country. Estimated data shared at the conference suggested that the incidence had increased from 13 per 1,00,000 women in 1990 to 29.4 in 2023.

Medical professionals agreed that active screening and raising awareness have helped detect more cases, but they feared that various other factors are also contributing to the rise.

Doctors said lifestyle changes, lack of breastfeeding, alcohol consumption, tobacco usage, and sedentary work could be contributing factors behind the rise in breast cancer in people. Though women are at a higher risk of getting affected by breast cancer, it is to be noted that even men can get breast cancer, and regular screening of both genders for breast cancer is crucial to detect the problem at an early stage.

“We know that geographical and economic factors should not be a barrier for breast cancer treatment, but unfortunately, till today, many people cannot get adequate care due to lack of resources,” Soumen Das, director of the Institute of Breast Diseases, Kolkata, told The Hindu.

He added that their institute’s research was focused on these implementation areas so that all cancer drugs that are available in the global market should also be made available in the remotest areas.

Dr. Das, who heads the Institute of Breast Diseases and is one of the event organiser, said that a treatment and drug which is not widely accessible to people across communities is not very helpful, and to mitigate this crisis, they have taken steps like making better use of government schemes and giving temporary employment to relatives or caregiver of the patient near the hospital. “We have seen an immense positive response due to this initiative. When the close relative is given temporary employment near or inside the hospital, the treatment completion rate increases,” Dr. Das said.

Meanwhile, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary care, Prof. Jens Houber, St. Gallen, Switzerland, said, “Advances in breast cancer treatment require close collaboration between surgery, radiation oncology, and systemic therapies. Global dialogue accelerates progress for patients everywhere.”

Other researchers and doctors at the conference also stressed the need to ensure that breast cancer treatment and care reaches people across all sections of society in order to make a large-scale impact.

Five young investigators were selected to present their work at the next St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference scheduled to be held in Vienna in 2027.

The conference also launched the Project Pink Army, a community-driven volunteer movement aimed at mobilising the community to drive cancer awareness and build better patient support systems.