Miss India Tripura 2017 Rinky Chakma passed away at the age of 28 after battling breast cancer for two long years. The former Miss India was hospitalised after her health took a grim turn in the last week of February.
After undergoing surgery and displaying remarkable resilience, Chakma’s health declined on February 22, necessitating ventilator support. Unfortunately, her deteriorating condition prevented further chemotherapy, ultimately resulting in her demise. Chakma had been diagnosed with a malignant phyllodes tumor in 2022.
Chakma received the “Beauty with a Purpose” award during her participation in the Miss India pageant. Manushi Chillar had previously won the pageant in 2017.
Earlier last month, Chakma had candidly shared the intimate details of her challenging journey on her Instagram account. “I was diagnosed with Malignant phyllodes tumor (breast cancer in 2022). After I had my first surgery, it metastasized into my lungs and now in my head (brain tumor). My brain surgery is still pending as it’s already widespread all my right side of my body till my lungs, and it will only be possible if I heal with chemotherapy first with just 30% hope,” she wrote on Instagram.
What is a Malignant Phyllodes Tumour?
Phyllodes tumors, also known as phylloides tumors, are uncommon growths originating in the connective tissue of the breast, distinct from the ducts or glands where typical breast cancers develop. While the majority of phyllodes tumors are noncancerous (benign), a small portion can be malignant (cancerous).
The malignant phyllodes tumor is found in women aged 35 to 55. The treatment approach depends on the size and spread of the tumor, with surgical removal being crucial for successful treatment, ensuring adequate margins are achieved during resection.
Why is there a sharp rise in number of breast cancer cases?
In the past two decades, doctors have noted a significant increase in the incidence of breast cancer among younger women. The potential factors contributing to this trend, as suggested by experts, is the delay in the age of first pregnancy, lack of breastfeeding, fatty diet and childhood obesity.
“So, there are two aspects to the increase in the incidence of breast cancer amongst young women. One is that it is increasing because of lifestyle changes. Factors like late marriages, lack of breastfeeding, a more refined and fatty diet, childhood obesity, smoking, alcohol, etc are contributing to more cancers in young patients. The other reason is the improvement in diagnostic modalities, more breast cancers are now being detected, which were earlier missed. So, these are the two reasons why we are seeing more breast cancers in young ladies. And, now it is not uncommon to see breast cancer in the 20s as well. In the last six months, I would have diagnosed five or six cases of breast cancer in ladies in their 20s as well,” said Dr Rohan Khandelwal, Lead Consultant, The Breast Centre, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.