Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 17: A recent discussion surrounding a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 26 has highlighted the importance of seeking medical evaluation for breast lumps, regardless of age.

Kartika Jalani, a contestant on India’s Got Latent Season 2, recently spoke about her diagnosis and recalled discovering a small, painless lump in her breast. She said the lump was initially dismissed after she was told that she was too young to have cancer.

Her experience has drawn attention to the broader medical point that age alone cannot be used to rule out breast cancer.

Dr Vartika Vishwani, surgical oncologist at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram, said most breast lumps in young women are benign but stressed that they should still be properly assessed.

Dr Vishwani also referred to a global analysis covering the period from 1990 to 2019, which reported an approximately 79% increase in the absolute number of cancer cases among people below the age of 50. She noted that population growth and improved diagnosis contributed to the increase, while factors such as obesity from a young age, insulin resistance, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and intake of ultra-processed foods may also play a role.

At the same time, doctors caution that not every breast lump is an indication of cancer. Proper assessment generally begins with a clinical examination and appropriate imaging. For younger women, an ultrasound is commonly used, while a biopsy may be recommended if further investigation is required.

The key message is to avoid both panic and complacency. A painless lump should not automatically be assumed to be cancer, but it should not be dismissed solely because of a person's age.

“Young is an age, not an immunity to cancer,” Dr Vishwani said.