Having no pain in the breasts does not confirm the absence of a growing risk of breast cancer. “Absence of pain in the initial stages of breast cancer is one of the reasons for the delay in diagnosis,” said Dr Poovamma C U, senior consultant and director of breast oncology, Cytecare Hospital, Bangalore, taking part at the ‘Happiest Her,’ the women’s wellness summit organized by Happiest Health, held in March 2024. Addressing the issue of women and cancer awareness, Dr Poovamma said that people with cancer can look healthy and carry on with their day-to-day activities without having any signs during the initial stages.
Stressing the need for early screening, Dr Poovamma recalled that most women come to us after years of knowing and neglecting painless lumps. “They don’t realize that treatment at the right time is crucial for cancer. Women always prioritize their family’s needs over their health,” she said, adding that cancer is one of the leading causes of death and many cases go unreported.
One must not ignore even the slightest change in the nipple — nipple discharge, nipple retraction, sensing a lump, swelling in the underarms, skin ulceration, or change in the shape, size, or appearance of the breast, she said.
Another factor that adds to the burden is the stigma of cancer. “Most people with cancer say it’s easier to get through the treatment, but not the stigma that comes with it,” she said, adding that those battling with cancer yearn for inclusivity. Even simple questions such as ‘How are you feeling today?’ can be challenging to answer. She emphasized the need to be more sensitive and mindful while interacting with persons dealing with cancer to help them feel better and reduce the stigma.
Women and cancer awareness
Dr Poovamma explains that cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells in our body. “When something goes wrong in our body, it will give information back to the individual cell alerting that they are unhealthy and need to die. However, in cancer, these mutated cells continue to grow instead. They divide in number and spread everywhere,” she says.
Quoting the American Society of Oncology, Dr Poovamma said that nearly 30-40% of cancers are related to lifestyle and one’s food, drink, sleep, work and stress.
Referring to the rapid increase in cancer cases globally, Dr Poovamma said that in India, the most common cancers in women are breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer. “Lifestyle modifications can prevent all of these cancers,” she said.
Stressing the need for early diagnosis, Dr Poovamma said that an excellent prognosis can be seen for many cancers if picked up early. “But the awareness level is low among people.”
Screening tools
Dr Poovamma says that obesity is a risk factor. “Being overweight can cause 13 types of cancer,” she said, stressing the need for physical activity to prevent obesity.
Some of the routine tests people undergo cannot detect whether a person has cancer. Dr Poovamma says the routine health checkup result can show normal results and doesn’t pick up the presence of cancer cells.
Dr Poovamma said that screening tools like pap smear testing and HPV DNA testing are helpful for cervical cancer. In the HPV DNA test, the cells are scraped from the cervix to look at the DNA of the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus.
“Breast self-examination and regular screening such as mammogram after the age of 40 years can help in early detection of breast cancer,” she said.
Preventive measures
Dr Poovamma says that most people are aware that HPV causes cervical cancer, but it can also cause cancers in the head, neck, anal and spinal cord. “All these cancers can be prevented by taking HPV jab, which is given to both girls and boys between the ages of 9 and 25,” she said.
Speaking about early detection, she added that cervical cancer can be detected early through pap smear tests and for endometrial and ovarian cancers through ultrasonology. “One needs to look out for signs such as painless lumps in the breast or the neck, white or plaques inside the mouth, blood in stool for other types of cancers,” said Dr Poovamma, adding that seeking early medical help is the key to defeat cancer.
Takeaways
Cancer can show no signs during the initial stages. In India, common cancers in women are the cancer of breast, cervical, ovarian, endometrial and gastrointestinal. Obesity and lifestyle-related choices increase the risk of cancers. Knowing family history, risk factors and getting regular screening helps in early diagnosis.
