A report by the Lancet Commission on breast cancer, recently, pointed out that it is now the world’s most common carcinogenic disease with the ailment likely to lead to a million deaths a year by 2040. Carcinogens are substances that may increase your risk of cancer. The report added that around 7.8 million women were detected with breast cancer in the last five years until 2020. According to the report, about 6,85,000 women died from the disease in the same year. The commission estimated that globally, breast cancer cases will increase from 2.3 million in 2020 to more than 3 million by 2040, with low- and middle-income countries being disproportionately affected.
What could be the major issues leading to such a large number of breast cancer cases among women? The Lancet report pointed to “glaring inequities” and suffering from symptoms, despair, and financial burden due to breast cancer. These are often “hidden and inadequately addressed”. The commission has laid out recommendations for tackling these problems in breast cancer. It suggested better communication between patients and health professionals as a pathbreaking intervention that could improve quality of life. Besides the quality of life, it can also have a positive impact on the body image and adherence to therapy, and positively impact survival.
Other health experts have also suggested many solutions. In a conversation with The Indian Express, a senior medical oncologist Dr Minish Jain said that the primary issue is the late diagnosis and a poor prognosis in women. He added that a simple clinical breast exam and awareness may help treat these issues. A clinical breast exam is a physical exam of the breast performed by a healthcare provider to check for lumps or other changes.
Some other steps should be undertaken to prevent breast cancer. As per the Mayo Clinic portal-
1. Limit or stay away from alcohol. It’s safest not to drink alcohol but if you do drink it, enjoy it in moderation.
2. Stay at a healthy weight- A healthy weight should be maintained by watching the portion sizes and eating fewer calories. Regular exercise should also be done to maintain a healthy weight.
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