October - Breast cancer awareness month

October a pink month, if we visit  grocery store, we are surrounder by all pink boxes from cereals to even baby diapers are pink. The pink ribbon means awareness and awareness is the key to survival. So  I thought I write about the article I  came across about  this breast cancer and want to be a part in spreading the awareness.

Ten facts about breast cancer

1. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among Indian women.


2. Approximately one lakh new cases of breast cancer are detected every year in the sub-continent.

3. The risk of a breast cancer is one in 30 in urban India and one in 65 in rural India. These figures are due to failure in detection in early stages.

4. Early detection can increase chances of cure in 80% cases.

5. In the last decade, breast cancer has overtaken cervical cancer as the most common cancer among women in major metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi.

6. Approximately 90,000 breast cancer cases were detected in 2008 with over 48,000 deaths in the sub-continent. If this condition is not detected sooner, then it’s estimated that these figures could go up to 1,00,000 with over 55,000 deaths by 2010.

7. The number of new breast cancer patients annually at The Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai has risen from 1,800 to 3,200 in the past 10 years.

8. Goa has the highest number of breast cancer cases in the country.

9. According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is all set to outpace heart ailments as the biggest killer in the next two years. It also says that cancer diagnosis has been steadily rising and will soon touch the 12 million mark this year. By 2030, new cancer cases could rise to 27 million with up to 17 million deaths.

10. Breast cancer is on the rise largely due to changing lifestyle and dietary patterns among women in urban India. With fewer women opting for babies and lactating for lesser time than their mothers, they are at a higher risk of facing this condition.
(info Courtesy : iDiva.com and Women’s Cancer Initiative, Tata Memorial Hospital )

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, all women starting at age 40 should get a mammogram every one to two years, and if there is a history of breast cancer in your family, you may need to start getting mammograms earlier.
Most of the breast cancer cases are curable when detected earlier, thats why  it is so important to get tested regularly – mammograms can find cancer early when it’s most treatable.
Although there is no guaranteed way to prevent breast cancer, keeping up with a healthy lifestyle that includes good diet and exercise habits can help your mind and body stay strong.