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Breast cancer on the rise in Bangalore

It is affecting more younger women in Bangalore against the global trend of elderly ladies; docs blame this on sedentary life among women.

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Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found in its study there has been a drastic increase in breast cancer cases in Bangalore. It has increased from 17.3/1000 population to 29.5/1000 population in just five years. Doctors blame the fast-paced lifestyle, late childbirth and the lesser amount of time that women spend breast-feeding their babies for this alarming situation.

Speaking about the study, Dr Somshekhar SP, head of the department and consultant, Surgical Oncologist, Manipal Hospital, who was part of the ICMR study, said, “There are many reasons for it, and needs to be taken seriously. Firstly, today, women are working and start their family late as careers are also important. Earlier, this was not an issue as women would get married within age of 25 and would have kids by the time they were 30.”

Secondly, when they start their family late, they mostly don’t breast-feed their babies for more than a year. “This is also true. Every child they have must have mother’s milk for a good year. Due to pressing career demands, many mothers don’t do this. To add to this, nutrition in their food is very low. They eat junk food which only makes them more vulnerable,” he said. “The body-mass indices of women are also going haywire which adds to the issue,” he said.

There is another shocking trend which has been noticed in Bangalore. While globally breast cancer among elderly women is on the increase, in Bangalore the disease is afflicting younger women more, he said, adding that increasing number of women in the age-group of 30-45 are falling to breast cancer in the city.

“In India, up till last year, cervical cancer was common. Now, breast cancer is taking its place,” he said.

Earlier, most breast cancer were assumed to be hereditary in nature. “But this is true of only 10% of the total number of breast cancer patients. Most breast cancers are very silent till the last stage,” said Dr Somshekhar.

Adding to this, Dr Roopa, consultant radiologist and head of radiology department, Manipal Hospitals, said, “Most breast cancers don’t show signs like pain until the last stage. 95% of the lumps in the breasts are painless. It is important to understand this and get a breast cancer check-up done every year for women over the age of 30. For those above the age of 45, mammogram test are required every year,” she said.

Stating that this study has shown that the city is moving towards becoming a hard core urban set up, she said, “Most women have no time and hence, it is necessary to do a self examination of breasts at home. It is also good to follow healthy diets and have wholesome food and take care of one’s health. Most urban women are falling prey to breast cancer which is catching up in Bangalore too,” she said.

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