Thiruvananthapuram has been termed as the country’s breast cancer capital, with cases at a record high of 40 per lakh of population.Nine lakh women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and it is the second most common malignancy next to cervical cancer.

• The revelation was made during the Kerala Chapter of Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA) Conference here last week. It noted that 50 per cent of breast cancer is occurring in the age group of under 50 years.

Manoj T. Pillai, IRIA’s State Secretary, said breast cancer was the most common malignancy affecting one million women worldwide and it constitutes about 21 per cent of 519,000 yearly deaths.

Signs and symptoms of breast cancer:

The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump. The earliest breast cancers are detected by a mammogram.

Risk factors:

Smoking tobacco appears to increase the risk of breast cancer, with the greater the amount smoked and the earlier in life that smoking began, the higher the risk. In those who are long-term smokers, the risk is increased 35% to 50%
.A lack of physical activity has been linked to about 10% of cases.regularly for prolonged periods is associated with higher mortality from breast cancer. The risk is not negated by regular exercise, though it is lowered.