Burden of female breast cancer in India: estimates of YLDs, YLLs, and DALYs at national and subnational levels based on the national cancer registry programme

Purpose: Female breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality in India, and accounted for 13.5% of new cancer cases and 10% of cancer-related deaths in 2020. This study aims to estimate and report the female BC burden in India at state level from 2012 to 2016 in terms of years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and to project the burden for the year 2025. Methods: The cancer incidence and mortality data from 28 population-based cancer registries were analysed. The mean mortality to incidence ratio was estimated, and mortality figures were adjusted for underreporting. The burden of female BC was estimated at national and subnational levels using Census data, World Health Organisation’s lifetables, disability weights, and the DisMod-II tool. A negative binomial regression is employed to project burden for 2025. Results: The burden of BC among Indian women in 2016 was estimated to be 515.4 DALYs per 100,000 women after age standardization. The burden metrics at state level exhibited substantial heterogeneity. Notably, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, and Delhi had a higher burden of BC than states in the eastern and north-eastern regions. The projection for 2025 indicates to a substantial increase, reaching 5.6 million DALYs. Conclusion: The female BC burden in India was significantly high in 2016 and is expected to substantially increase. Undertaking a multidisciplinary, context-specific approach for its prevention and control can address this rising burden.