Breast cancer was diagnosed in 2.3 million women worldwide, with 6,85,000 deaths, according to the WHO. The global incidence of breast cancer has increased by more than 20% since 2008.
Delay in diagnosis helps the disease progress to an advanced stage.
The symptom this 24-year-old missed out
Siobhan Harrison, 24 years old, noticed a bump on her upper chest in December 2020. Harrison thought it was a pimple and tried to pop it after which it became bruised and then grew.
“I kept an eye on it for a while and noticed it getting bigger, which I thought was because I aggravated it,” media reports have quoted her saying. “It started to worry me, so I booked a doctor’s appointment.”
Harrison underwent medical testing. The results indicated the chances of the lump being a cancer. She was then moved to the UK, NHS waitlist for a biopsy, which she underwent in June 2021.
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When I got the results, I half expected it to be a cyst or something benign, Even though I was concerned about it, I still didn’t expect it to be anything too bad,” she told the media.
The results of the biopsy revealed that it was stage-two triple negative breast cancer. Stage- two cancer refers to a cancer type that has grown more deeply into the nearby tissue. It is a type of cancer that may have spread to the lymph nodes, but not to other parts of the body. According to the centers for disease control and prevention, 9% of breast cancers occur in women under age 45.
Harrison got the lump removed and froze her eggs before beginning with her chemotherapy, since the treatment can reduce fertility.
She encourages other women to not overlook their breast health.
What are the common symptoms of breast cancer?
It is important for every woman to keep a check on their breast health. Breast self-exam is one easy method for women to examine their breasts. This self-exam should be done once in a month as it can help detect any abnormal changes or cancer early. Women should avoid doing the self-examination while they are menstruating as during periods the breasts may get tender and swollen.
One should worry and seek a doctor immediately if any of the symptoms mentioned below occurs :
·Pain in any area of the breast
·Redness in nipple or the breast
·Peeling of the skin near the nipples
·Blood coming out from the nipple area or any other discharge except breast milk.
·Development of any lump in the breast, armpit or collar bone
·Nipple turning inwards
What is the prevalence of breast cancer in India?
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among Indian women, with a prevalence of 25.8 per 100,000 women and a fatality rate of 12.7 per 100,000 women. According to reports, an Indian woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes. In Indian women, breast cancer accounts for 14% of all cancers. There are five stages of breast cancer, starting from zero and going up to four. More than 50% of Indian women suffer from stage 3 and 4 of breast cancer, this makes survival more difficult. Nearly 50% of the cases are in the age group of 25-50. In India, post-cancer survival for women with breast cancer was reported to be 60%, compared to 80% in the United States. The only way to change these figures is by spreading awareness.
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