One-third women in rural India unaware of breast cancer: Study
What's the story
A study conducted by a doctoral student in Sweden revealed, one in three women in rural India had not heard of the breast cancer. The findings showed, about 90% of the women in rural areas are unaware of the possibility of self-examination of their own breasts. A delay of more than three months in seeking care was observed in almost half of the women.
Information
Early detection crucial for successful treatment of breast cancer
"Early detection may be crucial for successful breast cancer treatment. Therefore, it's important to influence women's awareness of the symptoms and their attitudes towards treatment," said the doctoral student, Nitin Gangane of Umea University in Sweden.
Two studies
The team performed 2 studies on over 1000 rural women
The team had performed two studies including over 1,000 women in the mainly rural-dominated district of Wardha in Maharashtra. The delay in diagnosis and treatment was for more than twelve weeks in 23% of the patients. "Illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, and superstition regretfully lead to many women delaying their contact with the health care system too long," Nitin Gangane said.
The Need
National breast cancer program is the need of the hour
Reportedly, "no pain in the breast lump" delayed a visit to the doctor. Incorrect initial diagnosis or late referral for examination led to the diagnostic delay, while the high costs delayed treatment. "It is urgent to have a national breast cancer program in India, while at the local level, we need to raise awareness among women about breast cancer," said Gangane.