ICMR Study revealed Doubling of Incidence of Breast Cancer in Metropolitan Cities

A landmark analysis of cancer cases among women in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore from 1982 to 2005, conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed that the incidence of breast cancer nearly doubled in metropolitan cities. Breast cancer cases were found to be spiralling world over, and urban India was no exception. On the other hand, cases of cervical cancer, which is the most common form of cancer among Indian women was found to be dipping in some cities by almost 50%.

 India’s National Health Profile 2010 predicted that by 2020, breast cancer will overtake cervical cancer as the most common type of cancer among women in India.

Almost one in 20 women in metropolitan cities are suffering from breast cancer. Cases have almost doubled in the last decade, and nearly half of the patients come for treatment at the final stage when curing it is difficult.
Currently 23 per one lakh women are diagnised with breast cancer every year. In cities like Chennai, the figures are troubling with the breast cancer ratio as high as 1:33.

10 leading types of cancer that women in urban cities suffered from between 2006 and 2008 were looked at and it was found and found that breast cancer accounted for a high percentage in each city. In Mumbai, 30% of cancer cases among women were that of the breast, in Delhi and Bangalore it was almost 26.9% while the incidence in Chennai was marginally lower at 26.5%. In Kolkata, it accounted for 27.2% of cancer cases among women and in Pune it was 28.9%.

ICMR has also come out with the possibility of one in number of people developing cancer of any site score. The calculation is age specific—0-64 and 0-74 years. In Mumbai and Kolkata, one in 14 women runs the risk of developing cancer before they reach 64 years.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Let’s Pink is a movement to raise awareness on the disease and its prevention.