Breast cancer has become the most common form of cancer among Indian women and the numbers are rising faster than ever before. According to Globocon 2020 data, one woman in India is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes and dies from it every eight minutes.
“There are about 1.78 lakh new cases every year,” says Dr Sabine Kapasi, Gynecologist, IVF Specialist, and Global Health Strategist, Advisor at UN. “If the current trend continues, we are likely to see the number cross two lakh by 2030. What’s even more concerning is that many Indian women are getting breast cancer nearly a decade earlier than women in western countries.”
Doctors say this worrying trend shows why women in their 30s and 40s should get checked regularly and know the signs early.
Late diagnosis costing lives
Even though treatments are improving, India’s breast cancer survival rate continues to lag behind richer countries. The reason? Most cases are diagnosed too late.
Nearly six out of ten breast cancer cases in India are detected only when the disease has reached stage three or four, making treatment more complicated and reducing the chances of survival.
“Many women delay going to the doctor because they dismiss early warning signs or wait until the lump grows bigger,” explains Dr Kapasi. “Some are afraid of the diagnosis itself, others are limited by distance, cost, or stigma. By the time they reach a hospital, it’s often too late for early-stage treatment options.”
According to her, this delay is one of the main reasons one out of every two women diagnosed with breast cancer in India does not survive it. “That’s a heartbreaking statistic for a disease that is treatable, even curable, when caught early.”
Gaps in public health efforts
To address the growing burden of cancer, the Indian government has included screening for breast, cervical, and oral cancers under the National Program for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke (NPCDCS).
As part of this initiative, ASHA workers (Accredited Social Health Activists) play a vital role in identifying women at risk and encouraging them to attend screening camps at Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres.
“They are often the first point of contact for women in villages,” says Dr Kapasi. “They help women understand basic breast self-examination techniques and guide them to follow-up clinics if they find something unusual. This community-level support is invaluable.”
However, screening rates across India remain worryingly low. Evaluations from several states show that very few women have ever had a clinical breast examination. “The Ayushman Bharat scheme has made hospital care more accessible, but preventive care still doesn’t get the same attention,” Dr Kapasi said.
To reduce mortality rates, she explains, India needs to strengthen its primary healthcare network, improve awareness, and make preventive screening a part of every woman’s regular health check-up.
New technology bringing hope
While mammography remains the gold standard for breast cancer screening, it has its limitations, particularly for younger women with dense breast tissue. These limitations are pushing scientists and innovators in India to develop new diagnostic technologies that are safer, faster, and easier to access.
“In recent years, we’ve seen incredible innovation,” says Dr Kapasi. “For example, new thermal imaging systems can detect early changes in breast tissue without using radiation or requiring physical contact. When used in mobile screening vans or district clinics, these tools can reach women in remote or underserved areas who otherwise have no access to mammography.”
Other new tools include portable ultrasound machines, molecular breast imaging, and contrast-enhanced mammography. These help doctors detect breast cancer earlier and with better accuracy.
One particular advancement is the liquid biopsy, which identifies traces of cancer-related materials in a blood sample. “It’s simple, painless, and can detect cancer even before a lump forms,” explains Dr Kapasi. “This could completely transform early diagnosis in India.”
Digital health platforms such as eSanjeevani and the NCD Portal are also helping streamline the process linking patients, doctors, and screening records. “When community health workers and hospitals stay connected digitally, women diagnosed through screening are more likely to receive the right treatment at the right time,” she adds.
Personalised screening
Health experts are now shifting from a one-size-fits-all approach to a risk-based screening model, where screening frequency and methods depend on a woman’s individual risk profile.
“Instead of screening every woman the same way, we now consider her family history, hormonal profile, breast density, and lifestyle factors,” explains Dr Kapasi. “This personalised approach helps us focus resources where they’re needed most, and it reduces unnecessary testing for low-risk women.”
Researchers are also exploring genetic testing to identify women who carry mutations linked to breast cancer, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. This can help doctors recommend earlier and more frequent screenings for high-risk individuals.
Breaking barriers to access
Despite advancements in technology, access remains the biggest hurdle. Rural and low-income communities often face multiple challenges, long travel distances, high costs, and lack of awareness.
“Even today, many women don’t know how to perform a breast self-exam or when to go for screening,” says Dr Kapasi. “That’s where community engagement is key. We need to make early detection a collective effort rather than a privilege,” she said.
She believes the solution lies in training more frontline workers, expanding mobile diagnostic units, and offering free or affordable screening programs.
Researchers are also developing multi-cancer blood tests, capable of detecting several types of cancer simultaneously. Though still in the experimental stage, these tests could help detect cancer in third world countries.
For India, the next crucial step is to make early detection a routine part of women’s health, just like blood pressure or sugar checks.
“Technology can save thousands of lives every year,” says Dr Kapasi. “But innovation alone isn’t enough. We need equal access, strong community participation, and seamless coordination between screening and treatment.”