Breast cancer kills one woman every 8 minutes in India

Due to a lack of awareness and the absence of a robust screening programme in India, more than 60 per cent breast cancer cases are in advanced stages, says founder director, KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, Dr P Raghu Ram

Hyderabad: Breast cancer is the number one cancer among women in India, and every year, 2 lakh new cases are diagnosed, and 1 lakh deaths are recorded. One new breast cancer is diagnosed every 4 minutes, and one woman succumbs to the disease every 8 minutes in India, making it the commonest cancer affecting women in India, said founder director, KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, Dr P Raghu Ram.

Delivering a breast cancer awareness session at Hyderabad-based Brahma Kumaris on Sunday, he said, due to a lack of awareness and the absence of a robust screening programme, more than 60 per cent are present in advanced stages. Unlike the West, where most breast cancers present over the age of 50, in India, the vast majority present in younger ages, the peak incidence between 40 – 50 years, Dr Raghu Ram said.

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Governor Jishnu Dev Varma inaugurated the programme “ABCs of Breast Cancer – What every woman must know” at Shanti Sarovar, Brahma Kumaris.