Breast cancer cases increasing in Pune

An alarming statistic emerging from Pune Cancer Registry indicates that cases of breast cancer in city are increasing at an alarming rate. According to the registry, almost 30% of women suffering from some form of cancer had breast cancer.

What is even more shocking is that five percent of people affected by breast cancer are men. In fact, city doctors said that most men come too late to the clinics or don’t agree easily for surgery as they believe that breast cancer is a ‘women’s illness’ and cannot affect them.

“It is a myth that men can’t get breast cancer. At present, I am treating four men for the illness. In fact, instances of breast cancer in men are increasing and most common are men above 45 years. Breast cancer is basically a hormone related disease, the errant hormone being oestrogen which is found in women. However, if men inherit mutated genes increasing risk of breast cancer or lifestyle changes like oestrogen drugs or excessive alcohol can increase risks,’’ said Dr Shona Nag,
medical oncologist, Sahyadri Hospital.
Cancer surgeon Dr Anupama Mane operated on three men last year for the illness. The biggest hurdle in her opinion against fighting the illness in men was awareness and acceptance. “In case of men, it is easily detectable. Unlike women, they have just tissue and not breasts. The signs of breast cancer like a nodule or lump on chest or in armpit, skin changes or nipple discharge are easily detectable. But men don’t take it seriously as they don’t think they can get affected and as a result come to us too late,’’ she said.
However, breast cancer in men is still not a very common phenomenon as 95% cases of breast cancer are still women.
The data compiled by Pune Cancer Registry, unit of Indian Cancer Registry, showed that out of total 1,493 women affected by cancer, 469 had breast cancer. Doctors agreed with the statistics revealed by the registry stating that they see a new case of breast cancer on a daily basis in their clinics.
According to Shravani Koyande, director of Indian Cancer Registry, the maximum cases of breast cancer were reported from
women belonging to Hindu community.
“May be, there is better reporting from women of that community and other community women may be shy to come forward. The common reasons that make women prone to breast cancer are high life expectancy, delayed marriages, late menopause, delayed childbirth or lack of breastfeeding,’’ she said.
Mouth cancer was the leading cause of cancer in men with 144 cases of total 1,368 cancer affected men followed by prostate cancer.
Doctors rued that lifestyle related cancers were on increase which could be easily preventable.
“While breast cancer is largely a lifestyle related ailment that causes maximum deaths in cancer affected women, oral cancer and lung cancer are also major killers in men which again depend on lifestyle factors like tobacco chewing, smoking,
excessive alcoholism and substance abuse,’’ said Nag.