7,000 run in Trichy to create breast cancer awareness

TRICHY: Around 7,000 men, women and children participated in ‘Mammorun – 2018’, organised by Dr K Shantha Breast Cancer Foundation (SBCF) here on Sunday to create awareness about breast cancer.
Organisers said the reason for conducting the awareness event was to show how breast cancer has increased exponentially over the years to become the most common cancer in the country.

Doctors said over the last two decades, breast cancer had grown at an alarming rate and even overtaken cervix cancer which for many years had been one of the most common cancers in India.

Radiation oncologist and secretary of SBCF Dr K N Srinivasan said based on the statistics of cases at SBCF -- especially from 2000 to 2005 -- the number of breast cancer cases almost doubled.

“In 2000, five out of 100 cancer cases constituted of breast cancer and in 2005, it rose by around eight to 10 cases per hundred. It has been on the rise ever since,” he said.

According to ‘Globocan 2018’ study done by World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (ICAR), 14% (1,62,468 out of 11,57,294 new cancer cases so far in 2018) constituted breast cancer making it the most common cancer in the country. It is followed by lip, oral cavity cancer (10.4%) and cervix cancer (8.4%)


The marathon was divided into three categories – 21k and 10k run (both competitive) and 5k run (non-competitive). While the 21k and 10k run was from Srirangam Boys Higher Secondary School to KAP Viswanathan School, the 5k run was from Dr G Viswanathan Hospital at Mambalasalai to KAP Viswanathan School Grounds.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime and traffic) A Myilvaganan was the chief guest for the prize distribution ceremony. Actress Raiza Wilson was the celebrity guest for the event.