from Daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Jan 3: A cosy lifestyle and irresponsible eating habits are among the factors that have led Goa and Mumbai to be among the places where women are most vulnerable to breast cancer, according to an oncologist.
 
"Both have 30 cases per lac, which ranks very high," Shekhar Salkar, a practising oncologist and convener of the Goa chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), told reporters here on Tuesday.
 
To inform people about this disturbing trend, IMA Goa's Bicholim unit will hold a special cancer awareness drive on January 6 in association with Muskaan, a trust for cancer patients, he said.
 
An increase in cancer cases is directly related to lifestyle, eating habits and the tendency to go in for late marriages and subsequently late pregnancies, he said.
 
"The higher the income, there are more chances of getting breast cancer. Similarly, it is found more among educated women," Salkar said.
 
Pointing to a nation-wide survey in 1996, Salkar said breast cancer was more prevalent in the urban society. "For instance in Chennai, 26.6 females per lac were affected with breast cancer while in Ambillikai, a rural town next to it, the figure was 14.2 per lakh," he said.
 
Religion-wise, more cases belonged to the Catholic faith than others.
 
"In Chennai, of the 20.6 females per lakh, 17.9 were Muslims while 26.1 were Christians. In Mumbai, 21.9 per lakh Hindu women had the disease compared to 17.9 among Muslims and 30.8 among Christians," Salkar said.
 
In Goa, 40 per cent of women aged up to 40 years are unmarried, Salkar said.
 
"A total of 250 new breast cancer cases are reported every year in the state. Goans report 2,500 cases of all types of cancer - which means 10 per cent of cancer patients in Goa are suffering from breast cancer," Salkar said.