January 4: Who had thought that modernism could give women cancer.A study published in the latest issue of Current Science, a peer-reviewed journal of The Indian Academy of Sciences, says that an increasing number of women in Mumbai and other urban centres, who have given up the traditional roles of a housewife to embrace a career, are falling victim to breast cancer.
In Mumbai, the figures are alarming. According to another independent study, one out of every twenty women in the city has breast cancer. And to be more specific, it is prevalent among Parsis, Sindhis and Christians. Doctors say that the figures could be still higher and may soon match those in the US, where one out of every nine women has breast cancer. "The incidence of breast cancer is increasing sharply in cities because many women don't breast-feed their children," says Angara of V-Care, a voluntary organisation for cancer patients.
So rapid has been the growth of breast cancer that it has left other types of cancers far behind.
"Previously cervical cancer used to be the top killer. Now it's breast cancer. I feel this is due to the Western life-style adopted by the women in cities," Says Dr Yojana Nalwade, a cancer specialist. Doctors say that with increased female literacy, health awareness and socio-economic status women marry late and bear fewer children than before, reducing the risk of cervical cancer. But at what cost?The Current Science study explains that such patterns (in diseases) are directly linked to changes in life styles. For instance, socio-economic status of women in Maharashtra and Kerala is much higher compared to other states and that's the reason why more women are complaining of breast cancer in these states. "Wherever traditional societies have given way to modern career-driven institutions, breast cancer has replaced cervical cancer as the most common type (of cancer)," the authors say.
Breast cancer occurs as a result of uncontrolled cell division that invades healthy tissues and occurs via blood stream or
body cavities. Each cancer has its own characteristic metastasis - the way by which cancer cells spread in the body.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
