One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every four minutes in India while the average age of Indian women at diagnosis is almost a decade younger than their Western counterparts.

Prof Anand Misra, HoD endocrine surgery department, King George’s Medical University, gave this information, citing the Globocan 2020 study.

“This increase in the incidence of breast cancer in India has dramatically increased the need for qualified breast surgeons equipped to treat these patients,” said Prof Mishra.

“KGMU Breast Update 2023, a two-day conference beginning September 8 will focus on early breast cancer diagnosis and oncoplastic surgery techniques under the theme "Let’s do oncoplasty," said Prof Misra, the organising chairman of the event.

Dr Kul Ranjan Singh, organising secretary of the conference, said, New technologies have changed how we identify breast cancers early, and treatment has changed from radical surgery to breast-conserving surgeries with similar prognosis and outcomes.

Oncoplastic breast surgery comprises new surgical techniques that combine the principles of cancer surgery with those of plastic surgery to optimise cancer cure while maintaining the shape and symmetry of the breast.

“Women in India usually ignore symptoms related to illness. One of the reasons for delayed diagnosis is this and secondly, they avoid treatment till it troubles them,” said Dr Amita Shukla, senior gynaecologist.