Breast cancer of Northeastern India: a critical review on early onset disease and TNBC subtype

Abstract

Northeast India is a fertile ground for cancer in India. Breast cancer is topmost cancer among females. Despite this, cancer mortality remains high with lower survival rates, mostly due to more aggressive variants, late diagnosis, poor health care accessibility and lack of advanced facilities. As per cancer registry statistics and breast cancer research reveals an earlier age of disease onset with mean age 47 years, increased proportion of the triple negative subtype and higher mortality rates due to the disease. Intra- regional differences in the study variables amongst the north eastern states reflect the cultural and genetic heterogeneity of the people of the north-eastern states. There is a need for increased awareness of breast cancer, improved screening and better diagnostics and healthcare to decrease breast cancer deaths in this region.