Late diagnosis cases rising as only 4.8% of Rajasthan women have had a breast examination

• Self-examination can help in early detection of breast cancer
• Many breast cancer patients faced problems during the pandemic, particularly those from rural locations

Udaipur : Every year, approximately 1 lakh cancer patients are diagnosed in Rajasthan. Around half of these are cancers of the mouth, breast, uterus, and lungs. When the total number of cancer patients is taken into account, it has also been discovered that women outnumber men.^[1]This is because the number of cases of breast cancer is increasing. According to the National Family Health Survey, only 4.8 percent of Rajasthani women have ever had a breast examination.In India, there is a low level of awareness about breast cancer. Although there are few awareness camps in urban areas, they are almost non-existent in rural areas.

During the Covid 19 period, the condition of breast cancer patients deteriorated. Many women’s breast cancer went undetected during the lockdown. Those who were already on the treatment were unable to continue due to movement constraints. “Many breast cancer patients faced problems during the pandemic, particularly those from rural locations. Most of them avoided coming back for follow-ups, and those who did had a difficult time getting there because most of the state’s transportation facilities were shuttered. It accelerated the disease’s progression unnecessarily,” said Dr. Rohit Rebello, Ananta Medical College & Hospital, Udaipur.

Breast cancer prevention begins with early detection. Self-examination is the simplest way to accomplish this. A woman can use this to assess the condition of her breasts and whether or not lumps are present. It is critical that college-age females learn about this process in order to popularise it. Early-stage diagnosis almost always results in a better prognosis, which increases the likelihood of survival. Tt is critical to spread breast cancer awareness through community education in schools and colleges. “Breast cancer awareness should begin in Grade 12 girls, and further education should be provided at the college level,” he says.

If a lump is found in the breast, it should be followed by a trip to the doctor so that the proper diagnosis can be made. There’s a chance the lump is just a benign breast disease that won’t kill you. It could, for example, be a fibroadenoma, which is a benign lump that occurs in young people. Sometimes young women experience benign nipple discharges that appear to be a symptom of breast cancer but are not. As a result, it is important that the proper diagnosis is performed at a breast cancer facility.

It is also necessary that the patient strictly follows all of the doctor’s instructions while undergoing treatment. After consulting with her doctor, the patient can engage in exercises such as aerobics. Constant exercise has been shown to improve the patient’s psychological and mental health.

According to studies, the mortality rate from breast cancer is higher in urban women than in rural women. Currently, there are numerous clinical trials taking place across the country. Dr. Rohit Rebello, DIRECTOR and HOD- Medical Oncology , GBH cancer hospital, Udaipuris conducting clinical trials in Udaipur for patients who relapsed within six months of receiving adjutant chemotherapy or for patients with metastatic carcinoma breast  relapsed after the first line of  palliative intent chemotherapy. These trials have the potential to pave the way for new research and treatments for breast cancer patients and also ensures that expensive drugs are available free of cost for the patients enrolled in the clinical study.