New cases have risen much faster in women aged between 20 and 54 (up 29%) since 1990, with rates in older women not changing substantially. (Photo: Pexels)Despite recent advancements in breast cancer treatments, new breast cancer cases are predicted to rise by a third globally from 2.3 million in 2023 to more than 3.5 million by 2050. Similarly, annual deaths are projected to increase by 44% from around 764,000 to 1.4 million, according to the latest analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Breast Cancer Collaborators.Deaths from breast cancer have been increasing since 1990. Laos had the world’s largest increase in deaths (214%). Other notable increases were in Bangladesh (91%), Vietnam (80%), Indonesia (78%), India (74%), Japan (52%), and the Philippines (41%). China’s death rate decreased by almost 37%.Published in the ‘Lancet Oncology,’ the analysis uses data from population-based cancer registries, vital registration systems and interviews with family members or caregivers of women who have died from breast cancer to provide an updated global and regional analysis. The report estimates the burden and risk factors of breast cancer from 1990 to 2023 in 204 countries with forecasts up to 2050.Opinion | India has lagged on breast cancer screenings. Now, an opportunity to leapfrogKayleigh Bhangdia, lead author from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, US, said that breast cancer continues to take a profound toll on women’s lives and communities. “While those in high-income countries benefit from screening, timely diagnosis and treatment strategies, the mounting burden of breast cancer is shifting to low and lower middle-income countries where individuals face later-stage diagnosis, limited access to quality care and higher death rates,” Bhangdia said.What the India data showsIn India, the age standardised incidence rate (ASIR)/one lakh climbed from 13.0/per lakh in 1990 to 29.4 per lakh in 2023. The age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) also climbed from 8.9/per lakh in 1990 to 15.5 per lakh in 2023. While there were no country-level forecasts, study authors have projected the ASIR to rise to around 38.5 per lakh for South Asia by 2050 and ASMR to 18.9.According to Dr Marie Ng, associate professor, National University of Singapore Affiliate Associate Professor, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a key challenge for India and for lower-middle-income countries is that incidence is expected to rise with ongoing epidemiological and demographic transitions. “At the same time, mortality is increasing. In India, ASMR is rising more slowly than ASIR rate which may indicate improvements in detection and treatment. Continued efforts are needed to strengthen early-stage diagnosis and to ensure treatment capacity keeps pace with growing demand,” she says.She flags the incompleteness of the cancer registry in India, which has low coverage, generally estimated to cover only about 10% to 15% of the country’s population. “Our current study does not capture subnational heterogeneity across India, which is crucial for developing context-appropriate breast cancer strategies. Continuous enhancement to improve coverage and completeness of population cancer registry is needed,” Dr Marie Ng said.Story continues below this adAlso Read | With aggressive breast cancer, 78-year-old couldn’t have surgery or chemotherapy: How did doctors save herBreast cancer spiralling in pre-menopausal ageNew cases have risen much faster in women aged between 20 and 54 (up 29%) since 1990, with rates in older women not changing substantially. Dr Nisha Hariharan, breast onco surgeon at Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad, pointed out that the recent ICMR–NCDIR (National Cancer Registry Programme) data underscore why breast cancer is now a major and growing public health concern in India. “Breast cancer accounts for around a quarter of all cancers among women in several registries, reflecting its position as the leading female cancer. While breast cancer incidence rises with age everywhere, India sees a clinically meaningful burden at younger ages. Incidence starts climbing from the early 30s and peaks around 50–69 years,” she explains.Managing risk factorsMore than a quarter (28%) of the global breast cancer burden is linked to six modifiable risk factors such as smoking, high blood sugar and obesity. The analysis suggests that maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, getting sufficient physical activity, lowering red meat consumption and having a healthy weight could prevent over a quarter of healthy years lost (around 24 million years) to illness and premature death due to breast cancer worldwide. Although women in low- and lower-middle-countries account for 27% (around 628,000) of new cases globally, they contribute to more than 45% of all the ill-health and early deaths from breast cancer globally (nearly 11 million years of healthy life lost).Don't Miss | Why Stage 2 breast cancer patient had to delay her treatment: Lancet study flags poor detection and access to therapiesThe cost burden for young patientsStory continues below this adA younger age at diagnosis has major downstream consequences. These are often peak earning and caregiving years with limited savings buffers. Treatment often stretches across months with surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and follow-ups. That creates a double shock: direct medical costs plus indirect losses from time away from work (for the patient and often a caregiver), travel and stay near treatment centres, and reduced household productivity, pushing many families into long-term financial stress. “Cancer deaths in women can also translate into intergenerational vulnerability, with children losing a parent at a young age. IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) estimates that breast and cervical cancer deaths together account for one-half of new maternal orphans, both of which are potentially curable when diagnosed early. This is why earlier diagnosis and completion of effective treatment are not only survival issues but also family and societal stability issues,” Dr Hariharan says.Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:breast cancerExpress Premium