Ruby General Hosp organises awareness rally for breast cancer

KOLKATA: Do you know one in 28 women is likely to develop breast cancer in her lifetime, with this rate increasing to one in 22 in urban areas. More than 50 per cent of Indian women are diagnosed at stages 3 and 4 of the disease. The survival rate for breast cancer patients in India is around 60 per cent, significantly lower than the 80 per cent seen in the US, partly due to late-stage diagnosis in India.

So, yes, timely screening and diagnosis can help to a great extent. But unfortunately, most women aren’t pro-active when it comes to screening. In fact, women should start annual screening mammograms at age 40, while those aged 45 to 54 should get them every year.

In such cases, awareness is the best tool to fight this disease and therefore Ruby Cancer Centre, a unit of Ruby General Hospital, in association with Ruby General Hospital and Ruby Cancer Care & Research Foundation, organises an awareness rally on breast cancer every year. Considering Breast Cancer Awareness month, the hospital organised one such rally on Friday to generate awareness among the Kolkatans. More than 350 participants had attended the rally. Around 20 cancer survivors and their families, had participated in the walk along with leading oncologists and celebrities like Sudeshna Roy, Chandan Sen and others. As a special endeavour for early cancer screening, Ruby Cancer Centre is also offering mammogram at a discounted price of Rs 500 till December 15.

The oncologists informed how hereditary plays an important role in the causation of breast cancer. Other than this, nulliparity, early age at menarche, late age at first pregnancy, obesity, cigarette smoking and alcohol are other known causative factors for this disease. The incidence of breast cancer is much higher in urban than in rural women.