The Real Crisis Behind the Diagnosis
Breast cancer is no longer a distant medical term. It’s not just a hospital issue, or a woman’s issue — it’s a societal and humanitarian crisis that is sweeping across age groups, geographies, and economic boundaries. While surgeons operate, researchers innovate, and medicines evolve, the most urgent battle is still being lost — the battle for awareness, informed decisions, and emotional preparedness.
The Alarming Reality: The 2024–2025 Picture
Recent global and national data present a stark warning that cannot be ignored:
- 🌍 Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, with over 2.3 million new cases reported in 2022 alone. By 2050, this number is projected to reach 3.2 million.
- 🇮🇳 India, now ranks third globally (after China and the U.S.), with a staggering 2.2 lakh new cases in 2024, up from 1.9 lakh in 2022.
- ⚠️ Mortality rate in India remains disproportionately high — nearly 98,337 deaths in 2022, a 37.2% mortality rate, significantly above the global average of 30%.
- 🧬 Survival rate in India is only around 66%, compared to 90%+ in countries like Japan and South Korea, largely due to late detection, stigma, and lack of awareness.
Rural vs. Urban: A Divide That Runs Deep
While urban women report a higher number of diagnosed cases, rural women suffer a deadlier fate. Inaccessibility to screening, social taboos, and delayed consultations lead to:
- Diagnosis at later stages
- Higher treatment dropout rates
- And ultimately, higher mortality
In both settings, a lack of knowledge and emotional readiness remain the deepest culprits.
The Untold Chapter: Life After Diagnosis
Even for those who survive breast cancer, the journey doesn’t end with remission. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and ICMR:
- Survivors suffer from DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years) — the total years lost to disease, treatment side effects, and emotional burden.
- YLLs (Years of Life Lost) show how early cancer steals life itself.
- YLDs (Years Lived with Disability) expose the quiet suffering — hot flashes, fatigue, lymphedema, depression, hormonal imbalance, social detachment, and even job loss.
These survivors need more than medicine. They need understanding, support, and information — something that often goes missing in treatment rooms.
Why Knowledge Before Diagnosis Matters
Too many people begin looking for answers after they’ve heard the word “cancer.” But real power lies in seeking knowledge before illness strikes.
Just like regular exercise keeps the heart strong, awareness and education keep us emotionally strong and medically alert. When you understand:
- How breast cancer can develop quietly, even without symptoms
- What factors put you or your loved ones at risk
- How to interpret basic reports and imaging results
- What to expect emotionally during treatment phases
—you don’t just survive a diagnosis, you face it with clarity and control.
This Is Where the Book Steps In
My book, “A Life of a Breast Cancer Patient,” is not a romanticized survivor’s tale.
It’s not written to glorify victory or dramatize illness. It’s a true, lived journey — layered with medical facts, real patient challenges, and emotional reflections.
It is designed to:
- Make sense of the confusing medical terms
- Help readers understand the treatment path
- Prepare them for emotional waves and social pressure
- Encourage patients and caregivers to stay engaged and not give in to helplessness
Whether you are already diagnosed, supporting someone who is, or simply want to be prepared — this book speaks to you.
We Cannot Wait for a Crisis to Learn
Cancer doesn’t knock before entering. It doesn’t wait until you’re ready.
Which is why we must be ready before it strikes — and that begins with information and empathy.
When people say, “Prevention is better than cure,” they forget that understanding is what allows prevention in the first place.
This book is not just for patients. It is for:
- Families who care but don’t know how to help
- Friends who want to support without being intrusive
- Women who want to stay alert, informed, and aware
- Anyone who believes that health is not just about the body, but the mind and community too
About the Book
Title: A Life of a Breast Cancer Patient
Author: Somen Banerjee
Paperback Available on: Amazon | Flipkart | Zorba Books Store
For: Patients, caregivers, doctors, medical students, awareness workers, general readers
Take Action Today
If we can accept the need to eat healthy, exercise, and take vitamins,
Then why not also accept the need to read, prepare, and stay aware?
Start with this book. Start today.
Because the more you know, the stronger you grow —
And in the case of breast cancer, knowing truly saves lives.
