Breast Cancer Cases Jump 68% In Three Years At Mumbai's Cama Hospital
Breast cancer cases at Cama and Albless Hospital, Mumbai's only government hospital dedicated exclusively to women, have surged by 68 per cent over a three-year period, according to the facility's latest annual report released last month.
The data shows that patient numbers increased significantly from 828 cases in 2023 to 1,393 cases in 2025. The upward trend has continued into the current year, with the hospital already recording 713 breast cancer cases in the first seven months alone.
Medical professionals at the hospital have identified several contributing risk factors behind the surge, including obesity, pollution, and delayed childbirth. While screening numbers have gone up due to increased awareness, officials noted that critical gaps remain in public understanding regarding prevention and specific risk causes.
Dr Tushar Palave, Vice-Dean of Cama and Albless Hospital, highlighted the ongoing challenges in patient education and early intervention.
"This number is only rising. We have already received 713 cases of breast cancer in just the first seven months of this year," Dr Palave said. "Of course, the awareness is helping, and more women are coming for the screening. However, it’s not enough, as even today, women do not know about the factors that lead to breast cancer and have no idea about several doable preventive measures that can reduce the risk of breast cancer."
Dr Palave added that even women who have reached an awareness stage of getting checked annually after the age of 35 remain largely unaware of the specific factors and preventive steps that can reduce disease risk.
The local surge mirrors broader trends documented across the country. According to findings from the Global Burden of Diseases Study Breast Cancer Collaborators published in The Lancet Oncology, breast cancer incidence in India has more than doubled over the past three decades, rising from 13 cases per one lakh population in 1990 to 29.4 cases per one lakh population in 2023.
