Breast Cancer Awareness Month(BCAM), observed annually across the globe from October 1 to 31 to raise awareness, encourage early detection, support patients, and promote research for prevention and treatment.
Exam Hints:
- Observance: Breast Cancer Awareness Month(BCAM)
- Dates: October 1–31, 2025
- 2025 Theme: “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters”
- Symbol: Pink ribbon
- Origins: Began in 1985 by American Cancer Society & Imperial Chemical Industries
- Global Burden: 2.3 million diagnosed in 2022; projected 38% rise in cases and 68% rise in deaths by 2050.
- WHO Initiative:GBCI( 2021) to reduce mortality by 2.5% annually by 2040
Theme 2025:
2025 Theme: “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters.”
Objective: This year’s theme highlights breast cancer patients’ diverse experiences and the importance of compassion, early detection, and equitable care.
Background:
Origins: Breast Cancer Awareness Month began in October 1985 through a partnership between the American Cancer Society and pharmaceutical company Imperial Chemical Industries.
Global Recognition: October is celebrated worldwide as “Pink Month” to promote breast cancer awareness.
Symbol: The pink ribbon, a universal symbol of breast cancer awareness, represents hope, courage and support.
- The pink ribbon became a breast cancer awareness symbol in the early 1990s in the United States of America(USA), gaining wide recognition in 1992 through campaigns by Estée Lauder and Self Magazine.
About Breast Cancer:
Definition: Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the breast tissues. It is the most common cancer diagnosed among women globally and can also affect men, though rarely.
Symptoms: The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that signs like lumps with skin changes or nipple inversion with discharge should not be ignored.
Early Detection: Screening methods like mammography greatly enhance the chances of successful treatment and survival.
Initiatives:The WHO launched the Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI) in 2021 to cut breast cancer mortality by 2.5% annually by 2040.
Breast Cancer Report Highlights 2025:
Global Burden:Breast cancer continues to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, accounting for about 15.5% of all new cancer cases among women in the USA.
- In 2022, 2.3 million people were diagnosed with breast cancer, and the global burden is projected to rise, with new cases increasing by 38% and deaths by 68% by 2050.
- The impact will be most severe in low- and middle-income countries due to limited healthcare infrastructure.
Survival Rates: Survival rates vary depending on access to timely and quality healthcare. In high-income countries, the 5-year survival rate for early-detected breast cancer is nearly 99%. However, this rate drops sharply in countries with weaker healthcare systems, around 66% in India and 40% in South Africa.
