Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 24: Higher levels of physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer, while factors such as age, reproductive history, hormonal exposure, central obesity and family history play a crucial role in the occurrence of the disease, a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found.

According to the research, women above the age of 50 were three times more likely to develop breast cancer compared to those under 35 years. The study also noted that women who had undergone more than two induced abortions faced a higher risk, while breastfeeding duration and the use of oral contraceptives did not show a significant association with breast cancer incidence.

The findings are part of a research paper titled “Understanding female breast cancer risk in the Indian population: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis”, published recently by the ICMR. The paper stressed the urgent need for large, population-based prospective cohort studies in India to improve breast cancer prevention and early detection strategies.

The study warned that breast cancer incidence in India is projected to rise by around 5.6 per cent annually, adding nearly 0.05 million new cases each year. Breast cancer already accounts for about 22.8 per cent of all cancers among women in the country.

Survival rates vary sharply depending on the stage of detection. The five-year survival rate stands at 81 per cent for cases diagnosed at a localised stage, 65.5 per cent for regional spread, and drops drastically to 18.3 per cent for cases detected after distant metastasis.

Researchers analysed observational studies from PubMed, Scopus and Embase databases up to December 22, 2024, focusing on population-specific risk factors among Indian women. Quality assessment was carried out using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist.

Apart from physical inactivity, the review identified poor sleep quality, irregular sleep patterns, sleeping in lighted rooms and high stress levels as lifestyle-related risk factors. The study recommended that public health initiatives focus on reducing central obesity and providing early reproductive health counselling.

It also called for well-designed, multicentric prospective studies with standardised measurements to strengthen causal evidence and aid in developing India-specific breast cancer risk prediction tools.