Cancer has been tightening its nose across India as recent reports bring to light some staggering numbers. At some point during their lifetime, approximately 39.6 percent of men and women in India will be diagnosed with cancer. At this very moment, an estimated 14.5 lakh people are living with the illness, while there are 7 lakh cases being reported every year; which equates to approximately 5,56,400 deaths every year!

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Haryana reportedly has a major share, with over 39% of cases recorded in the state. Approximately 17.3 lakh new cancer cases are being estimated by the year 2020 in India. Taking the current trends into account Haryana might have around 6.5 lakh cancer cases by then. An estimated 71 percent of all cancer-related deaths are occurring in the age group between 30 to 69 years.

Breast cancer has a majority share of cancer cases and is the leading cause of deaths in women suffering from the non-communicable disease. According to an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) report, breast cancer shares 10% of all cases. By that rate, Haryana may report around 2 to 2.5 lakh cases alone.

"Approximately, 1.5 lakh breast cancer cases are being reported in the country every year and the incidence is showing an upward trend. One in eight women is known to develop breast cancer cases at some point in time in life. We suspect that the number might be higher. Due to lack of awareness amongst people and social stigma, a lot of women ignore symptoms and are wary of coming to doctors for diagnosis." said Dr Shilva, Senior Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paras Bliss Hospital.

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These are the other significant causes of cancer in the country as well as some staggering stats about women suffering from cancer in India:

-Tobacco use is linked to around 20 percent of global cancer deaths and 70 percent of global lung cancer. Lung cancer is one of the commonest cancers, accounting for 13 percent of all new cancer cases and 19 percent of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

-Additionally, 2,500 deaths every day can be linked to tobacco-related diseases. In 2010, smoking accounted for an estimated 9,30,000 deaths; 1 in 5 deaths among men and 1 in 20 among women.

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-The National Cancer Registry puts breast cancer as the most common and cervical cancer as the second most common cancer in women in India. It is estimated that for every two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer one dies, while every 8 minutes one woman dies of cervical cancer.

-Although the Indian Council of Medical Research reports suggest that cancer of the cervix has become the third most common cancer after breast and lung cancer.

-Breast cancer accounts for 27 percent of all cancers in women in India, with the incidence rising in the early thirties and peaking at ages 50-64 years. It is estimated that 1 in 28 women is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime.

-Cervical cancer accounts for 22.9 percent of all cancer cases in women. Being the third largest cause of cancer deaths in India, it accounts for nearly 20 percent of all cancer-related deaths. It generally affects the 21 to 67 age group, with the median age of occurrence being 38 years.

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-As compared to the urban women, rural women are at higher risk of developing cervical cancer.

Diagnosis at an early stage is important for any kind of cancer, for the treatment to be effective. However, it is more so for breast cancer because breast cancer does tend to show early signs by a change in how breasts feel and look to an individual.

An important sign is lump formation in breasts. Usually, cancerous lumps are a hard mass with irregular edges, but they can also be soft, tender and rounded, and sometimes painful. However, any appearance of lump formation in breasts should not be ignored.

"It is very important for women to know how their breasts feel and look because that increases the chance for a person to realize any new abnormality, which helps in diagnosing an early stage of cancer. Lump formation in breasts should not be ignored. Also, there should not be unnecessary panic.

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Eight out of ten breast lumps are nonmalignant or non-cancerous. However, it is only through a breast biopsy can cancer be detected or ruled out. One should not be satisfied with other forms of diagnosis or treatment options such as mammography." said Dr Shilva, Senior Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paras Bliss Hospital.

Some of the other symptoms of breast cancer include breast swelling, skin irritation, pain in nipples or breasts, nipple turning inward or nipple retraction, and scaling, redness of nipple or skin of breasts.

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Due to various societal and cultural factors, women find it hard to come out in open and discuss or get themselves diagnosed with breast cancer. Apart from anxiety and fear of being diagnosed as cancerous, changes of appearance and not feeling good about one's body are also stressful factors.

The treatment options like chemotherapy are in itself psychologically challenging because of their side-effects.

Other than psychological and medical reasons, family and husband support is essential, and lack of such support or prejudice pertaining to the disease affects a potential patient psychologically preventing her to come go for check-ups. Cancer treatment options are sometimes expensive and that also acts as a limitation in going for timely treatment.

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"Breast cancer can be cured if it is timely diagnosed. To reduce the number of deaths due to the disease, myths surrounding the disease need to be busted and awareness about the disease and treatment options needs to be spread far and wide. Policies need to be framed to help the poor avail better treatment options. A combined nationwide effort is needed from all stakeholders to prevent this disease from becoming a national crisis." said Dr Shilva, Senior Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paras Bliss Hospital.