An awareness session was held on breast cancer recently, where young women around AN Block walked in to learn about safeguarding themselves.

The event was held by Paritosh Sen Memorial Elderly Care Society, supported by Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals and IAM hotel management institute in AN Block, where it was held.

Consultant oncologist Dr Arundhati De said that breast cancer was the most common cancer among women in India, and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, because it is usually detected late. “In the US 50 per cent cases are detected early, whereas the percentage in India is only 10, and a huge number of patients die untreated,” De said.

She enumerated the factors that increase the risk of breast cancer -

• Age. Risk increases with age

• If a woman has had cancer in one breast she has a higher chance of getting it in the other breast too

• If a woman has not borne children or born them after the age of 30 years

• If a woman has not breast-fed

• If a woman’s periods had begun at very early age

• If the woman is physically inactive and overweight, especially if she is post-menopausal

• Risk increases with the amount of alcohol she intakes

• The cancer can also be inherited

As prevention, De mentioned how Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie had undergone preventive surgery to remove her breasts as she was at very high risk. “But there is something simpler all women can do to reduce risk - self test.”

All women aged 20 years and above must pick a date on the calendar – maybe the first day or her birth date - and check her breasts every month. “One can learn how to do it online. Any change in the breast must be reported immediately to a doctor for clinical breast exam. Those aged 40-70 years should also do an annual mammogram,” De said. “This test costs Rs 2,500-3,000, but then people spend more than this on a single meal at a restaurant. So do not neglect this.”

In the audience was Jayati Bairagi, who lives in the neighbourhood as a paying guest. “My friends and I had thought breast cancer mostly affects older people, but this session set our doubts to rest. We now know we have to be cautious at every age. We are glad we chose to come today,” she said.

Secretary of the society Sarmistha Sen Das said this was the reason they chose the venue for their seminar. “Our society focuses on all-round geriatric care, but this time we wanted to reach out to other age groups too. And we held it at IAM as AN Block, where it is located, is isolated from the rest of Salt Lake and does not witness many such events. The block has many young ladies living as paying guests who study or work in Sector V and could do with tips on breast cancer awareness,” she said.