India’s breast cancer survival rate at 65.7%: WHO study finds gap with 77.8% global median

India’s estimated five-year breast cancer survival rate for women diagnosed during 2017-2021 stands at 65.7%, compared with a global median of 77.8%, according to World Health Organization estimates published in Nature Medicine. Survival reaches 87.3% in high-income countries, 88.5% in the WHO region of the Americas and 84% in the European region.

The breast cancer survival rate has steadily improved in India over the years, yet only about two of three women diagnosed with the disease survive for at least five years, the WHO estimates show, underscoring the need for earlier diagnosis and timely treatment.

The study is the first to estimate five-year breast cancer survival for all 194 WHO member states, giving countries a baseline to measure progress under the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative, which aims to reduce premature breast cancer mortality by 2.5% every year and save 2.5 million lives by 2040.

Earlier Indian research had also pointed to improving survival. A 2024 National Cancer Registry Programme study reported that five-year survival had increased from 31-54% among women diagnosed in the 1990s to 66.4% for those diagnosed during 2012-2015, though researchers noted continued scope for improvement through earlier diagnosis and better access to quality cancer care.

Abhishek Shankar, assistant professor of radiation oncology at AIIMS, said survival has improved with community-based screening and Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, but many women still present with advanced disease due to low awareness, stigma, financial barriers and delays in diagnosis, with disparities in access to pathology, imaging, radiotherapy, systemic therapy and follow-up care, especially between urban and rural areas, continuing to affect outcomes.

The WHO estimates were derived using survival data from cancer registries in 67 countries and statistical modelling for countries lacking complete registry data, incorporating factors such as stage at diagnosis, access to cancer medicines, radiotherapy and mammography capacity, and overall adult mortality.