New Delhi, March 3 A new study has found that breast cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among women worldwide, with India registering a staggering 477 per cent increase in breast cancer cases and 352 per cent increase in deaths caused by the disease between 1990 and 2023.
The study, published in the Lancet Oncology, estimates that the number of breast cancer cases globally will rise to 3.5 million by 2050 – an increase of one-third from 2.3 million in 2023 – and deaths will increase by 44 per cent to about 1.37 million per year.
According to the study, led by Kayleigh Bhangdia from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US, India registered about 2.03 lakh cancer cases in 2023, nearly 477 per cent increase from 2023, and over one lakh deaths, a 352.3 per cent increase, since 1990.
The impact of the disease was not uniform across the globe, with low- and middle-income nations being more affected than the high-income group.
The study noted that the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) increased by 147.2 per cent in the low-income group compared with only 1.2 per cent change in the high-income group.
The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) decreased in the high-income group, changing by a negative 29.9 per cent, but increased by 99.3 per cent in the low-income group.
"Breast cancer continues to take a profound toll on women's lives and communities... While those in high-income countries typically benefit from screening and more timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment strategies, the mounting burden of breast cancer is shifting to low- and lower middle-income countries where individuals often face later-stage diagnosis, more limited access to quality care, and higher death rates that are threatening to eclipse progress in women's health," Bhangdia said.
The study credits stable incidence and declining mortality rates in high-income nations to success in screening, diagnosis and treatment, while the concurrent rise in cases and mortality in other regions signals health system deficits.
While the disease disproportionately impacts countries with limited resources, the findings suggest maintaining a healthy lifestyle "including not smoking, getting sufficient physical activity, lowering red meat consumption and having a healthy weight may help prevent over a quarter of healthy years lost to illness and premature death".