Decade of Breast Cancer-Trends in Patients Profiles Attending Tertiary Cancer Care Center in South India

This retrospective study was carried out to understand the socio-demographic pattern and risk factors of breast cancer patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital, located in north Karnataka in southern India. The record based descriptive epidemiological data pertaining to demography and risk factors for breast cancer patients for period of 2001-2010 was analyzed. Totally 20,505 cases of cancer were reported during 2001-2010 of which 1,829 were breast cancer patients. Most of the patients came from rural area and majority were from lower socioeconomic status. The most common histology was infiltrating duct carcinoma. Family history of cancer was seen in 107 of cases. This epidemiological study helps to understand the unique patterns in incidence of breast cancer in this region and to some extent the associated probable risk factors. The increasing burden of breast cancer in Indian women warrants rigorous epidemiological investigations of trends observed in different rural, semi-urban and urban populations.