Women aged 25 to 49 are more prone to breast cancer?
According to a Sparsh-AOI assessment, women in the age group of 25 to 49 years are more susceptible to breast cancer in Bhubaneswar due to lifestyle changes such as sedentary life, alcohol, smoking, obesity, and dyslipidemia, environmental factors, lack of breastfeeding, and delayed pregnancy, as well as genetic and hereditary factors. Many organisations and people have taken up the responsibility of increasing awareness among patients and caregivers about the availability of treatment options even at advanced stages of the disease during the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month around the world.
Women between the ages of 25 and 49 in Bhubaneswar are particularly vulnerable to the disease. Advances in breast cancer treatment choices include safe, effective, and innovative targeted medicines that assist advanced-stage breast cancer patients, extending their lives and improving their quality of life.
Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women in India, accounting for 14% of all malignancies in the female population. One in every 29 women is expected to acquire breast cancer during their lifetime. More than 40% of Indian women have been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer (stages 3 or 4).
According to the research, "the ongoing epidemic posed multiple difficulties contributing to late diagnosis and poor treatment adherence, increasing challenges of limited screenings throughout rural and urban areas and poor health-seeking habits."
Other challenges, according to Sparsh-AOI medical oncologist MD Dr Ghanashyam Biswas, include social stigma, fear of cancer diagnosis or discussing it with family members, shame over having a breast examination, and other priorities, all of which lead to women neglecting their health and delaying screenings and care, resulting in lower patient survival rates at advanced-stage disease stages. Breast cancer has surpassed cervical cancer as the most frequent form of cancer in Bhubaneswar and across the country, accounting for 27% of all women's cancer cases, he said.
"Unfortunately, despite the simplicity with which breast cancer can be recognised through screenings, up to 46% of cases are discovered in advanced stages of the disease, generally in the third or fourth stage, providing treatment hurdles," Biswas said. He went on to say that women's anxiety and uncertainty in seeking help, despite the presence of symptoms, is often related to social stigma or a lack of information.
According to the paper, increased awareness of risk factors may lead to more self-breast inspections and screening, which can lead to early illness identification. Based on the individual's specific case, a variety of treatment options for breast cancer are available, including surgery, chemotherapy, advanced targeted therapies, and hormonal therapies, which can be used for advanced breast cancer cases as well, particularly to shrink the cancer or attack abnormal breast cancer cells without harming normally functioning cells. In comparison to more traditional forms of treatment, such as chemotherapy, which can cause considerable daily life disruptions, more targeted therapeutic breakthroughs have also reduced unwanted side effects.
Many patients and their families assume that advanced breast cancer means that they are nearing the end of their lives. Instead of investing money on therapy to achieve a higher standard of care, patients and their caregivers believe they should save money for the future of their families, according to a pattern seen among Indian women and their caregivers.