Tripura Expands Breast Cancer Screening & Treatment Services

The state is expanding access to cancer treatment through District Day Care Cancer Centres, which provide oral chemotherapy.

Tripura is expanding breast cancer screening and treatment services while focusing on early detection, referrals and access to stage-appropriate care, Health Secretary Kiran Gitte said.

Breast cancer accounts for 14.4% of all cancer cases among women in Tripura, affecting about one in 123 women, according to the North-East cancer report. The rate is the second-highest in the northeast after Manipur’s 15.4%.

The report found that only 28.4% of breast cancer cases in Tripura were detected at a localized stage, while 58.2% involved distant metastasis.

Tripura is strengthening screening for women aged 30 and above and improving awareness of breast cancer warning signs. The state also aims to ensure completion of referrals and diagnostic tests following screening.

The state is expanding access to cancer treatment through District Day Care Cancer Centres, which provide oral chemotherapy. Oral and intravenous chemotherapy services are also being strengthened, Gitte said.

The state’s plans include stage-appropriate treatment, patient navigation, psychosocial care and palliative support for breast cancer patients.

Community Health Officers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives will conduct outreach in villages during Village Health and Nutrition Days. Jhpiego, an international nonprofit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, is providing technical support for awareness, prevention, early detection, and treatment services.

India recorded an estimated 237,231 new breast cancer cases and 96,100 deaths in 2024, with breast cancer accounting for about 30.4% of all cancers diagnosed among women.

Data from the ICMR Tripura Population-Based Cancer Registry for 2012–2016 showed that breast cancer remains a major health challenge in the state.

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