‘One in every 22 women suffers from breast cancer’

Namita Shah, 27, (name changed) is a breast cancer survivor. For many months she experienced pain in her breasts but ignored it. She was later diagnosed with breast cancer. Shah is now recovering from her ordeal.

Doctors in the city say that there are many young women like Shah who are unaware about breast cancer. They say by the time women like Shah approach the doctor they are already in the high risk category.

According to a report by the Indian Council of Medical Research one out of every 22 women in the country suffer from breast cancer. Commenting on the same, Dr Chirag Shah, director, department of Oncology at Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad said "Nowadays more cases of breast cancer in women are being diagnosed because of increased awareness." Shah said urban women are more at risk of breast cancer.

"One in every 40 women in the rural areas are at risk of the disease. While for urban women the ratio is one in every 22," said Shah. In an effort to spread further awareness about the disease, the HCG-Medi-Surge Hospital and IPS officers' Wives Forum on October 26 will felicitate courageous women who have fought breast cancer and lived to tell their story.

" Women should get themselves checked regularly for breast cancer so that it can be detected and treated at the initial stage," said CEO  of HCG-Medi-Surge Hospital, Dr Bharat Gadhavi.