Breast cancer rates have shown an increasing trend in every state of India. Karnataka records approximately 14,484 new breast cancer cases and 5,388 breast cancer-related deaths in the year 2023 and this increasing trend is likely to continue unless we create awareness in the society. Breast cancer in men although rare, it accounts to 0.5-1% of all breast cancer cases.
The non-modifiable risk factors for breast cancer include age more than 50 years, genetics and family history, although currently, there is a slight increasing trend among women under 50 years due to various other reasons. Other contributing factors that can be modified include obesity, alcohol intake, consumption of hormonal prescriptions, breast-feeding, age of childbirth and age of menstruation. Delaying childbirth after 35 years and starting menstruation before the age of 12 years may slightly increase our risk of breast cancer.
