About one in eight women in India who are diagnosed with breast cancer find out about the disease only after it has already spread to other parts of the body. This stage is more serious and harder to treat.
A study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia shows that the rate in India is around 12.96%. This is more than double the global average, which is about 6%. This means many women in India are being diagnosed at a later stage compared to other countries.
The study was carried out by a team of researchers from Bengaluru. They studied data collected over 11 years, from 2009 to 2020. The research included information from 76,356 women, making it a large and important study.
The findings show a major problem: many women do not get diagnosed early. In several cases, cancer is found only after it has already spread. This delay can happen due to lack of awareness, limited access to healthcare, or ignoring early symptoms.
When breast cancer is detected late, treatment becomes more difficult. It may require stronger medicines, longer care, and sometimes the chances of recovery become lower.
Doctors say early detection is very important. Regular check-ups, awareness of symptoms, and timely medical care can help find the disease earlier and improve survival rates.