Breast Cancer Awareness Month is annually observed during the month of October (from 1st to 31st October) to create awareness about breast cancer and to highlight the importance of early detection of treatment of Breast cancer.
- The pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness.
Breast Cancer:
i.Breast Cancer is a type of cancer that arises in the epithelium (lining cells) of the ducts or lobules in the glandular tissues of the breast.
ii.In 2020 more than 2.3 million women across the globe were diagnosed with breast cancer.
Around 50% of breast cancers develop in women, who do not have identifiable breast cancer risk factors other than gender and age (above 40 years)
Symptoms:
- Presence of painless lump or thickening in the breast
- Alteration in size, shape or appearance of a breast
- Alteration in the skin (alteration in the skin)
- Alteration in the skin surrounding the areola
Breast Cancer in India:
i.According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s GLOBOCAN 2018, breast cancer has resulted in the death of around 87000 patients every year across India.
ii.Breast cancer, followed by Cervical cancer, is the most common cancer affecting women in India.
Note:
Since 2020, Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer and became the most common cancer across the globe.
VP Venkaiah Naidu Launched UBF HELP, 1st of its Kind Breast Cancer Helpline in India
Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President(VP) of India, launched UBF HELP (08046983383), the 1st of its kind National dedicated Breast Cancer & Benign Breast Disease Helpline in India, set up by the Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation(UBF).
- UBF HELP is a cost-free helpline that aims to reach out to people from various sections of society across India.
- Step one provides technical support to the helpline and the Association of Health Psychologists provides services of a network of counsellors.
- The helpline led by a group of Breast Cancer ‘conquerors’ and a team of trained counsellors will provide one on one confidential support.
- Helpline’s Resource Section of the website will be available in English and 11 Indian languages Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Oriya and Assamese.
