Gujarat breast cancer: 1,541 new GCRI cases in 2025, women above 30 urged to screen
Synopsis
Gujarat's GCRI registered 1,541 new breast cancer cases in 2025 alone — and breast cancer now accounts for nearly a third of all cancers among women in the state, well above the national average of 26.6%. With women aged 41–60 bearing the heaviest burden, the state is pushing digital mammography and self-examination as frontline defences ahead of World Breast Cancer Research Day.
Key Takeaways
1,541 new breast cancer cases were registered at GCRI, Ahmedabad in 2025 .
Breast cancer accounts for 31.2 per cent of all cancers among women in Gujarat — above the national average of 26.6 per cent .
Women aged 41–50 recorded the highest case count at 469 , followed by 436 cases in the 51–60 age group.
GCRI treated 26,812 cancer patients in 2025, including 9,147 from outside Gujarat.
Health Minister Pruful Pansheriya urged women above 30 to self-examine and those above 40 to undergo digital mammography .
Eligible patients can access GCRI services free under PMJAY .
Gujarat recorded 1,541 new breast cancer cases at the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute (GCRI) in Ahmedabad in 2025, according to state data cited by Gujarat Health Minister Pruful Pansheriya on Monday, 17 August. The minister issued the figures ahead of World Breast Cancer Research Day on 18 August, urging all women to prioritise early detection and regular screening.
Scale of the Problem in Gujarat
Breast cancer accounts for 31.2 per cent of all cancers diagnosed among women in Gujarat — the single largest share. The state government, citing estimates under the National Cancer Registry Programme, said Gujarat recorded an estimated 77,205 cancer cases in 2024.
Data from Ahmedabad's Population Based Cancer Registry indicates that among women aged 0 to 74, one in 12 is at risk of developing cancer — a figure that underscores the scale of the public health challenge, according to the state government.
Who Is Most at Risk: Age-Wise Breakdown
GCRI data for the period 2015–2025 shows that among the 1,541 new breast cancer cases registered in 2025, women aged 41–50 formed the largest group with 469 cases, followed closely by 436 cases among women aged 51–60. The pattern points to a concentration of risk in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal age bands.
What the Government Said
'In the fight against cancer, early detection and awareness are the biggest weapons. If breast cancer is identified at an early stage, it is completely curable,' Minister Pansheriya said.
He appealed to all women above the age of 30 to conduct regular self-breast examinations, and advised women above 40 to undergo digital mammography screening. Anyone noticing an unusual lump or abnormal symptoms was urged to contact the nearest government health centre or GCRI without delay.
GCRI's Reach and Facilities
GCRI, established in 1972 and operating under a public-private partnership model, recorded 26,812 cancer patients in 2025 — of whom 17,665 were from Gujarat and 9,147 from other states including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The institute's cross-state patient load, Pansheriya noted, reflects the breadth of its cancer services.
GCRI's diagnostic and treatment infrastructure includes digital mammography, a surgical robot, CyberKnife for non-invasive treatment, a scalp-cooling device to reduce chemotherapy-related hair loss, next-generation sequencing for personalised treatment, TrueBeam LINAC, Tomotherapy, a 3T MRI, a Cobas 4800 for HPV DNA testing, and 19 high-end modular operation theatres. Eligible patients can access these services free of cost under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).
India's Broader Breast Cancer Burden
The national picture mirrors Gujarat's trend. According to GLOBOCAN 2022, India recorded 14,13,316 new cancer cases in 2022. Breast cancer was the most common cancer among Indian women, with 1,92,020 new cases — accounting for 26.6 per cent of all cancers among women nationally. Gujarat's 31.2 per cent share is notably higher than the national average, signalling a disproportionate burden in the state.
With World Breast Cancer Research Day approaching, health officials say sustained awareness campaigns and accessible screening infrastructure will be critical to reversing the trend.
Point of View
But it also signals that screening programmes targeting younger women may be catching cases late. GCRI's cross-state patient load of over 9,000 from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh points to a regional infrastructure deficit that Gujarat alone cannot solve. The real policy question is whether free PMJAY access is translating into early-stage diagnoses, or whether patients are still arriving at advanced stages — a metric the government did not disclose.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many breast cancer cases were recorded at GCRI in 2025?
GCRI in Ahmedabad registered 1,541 new breast cancer cases in 2025. Women aged 41–50 accounted for the largest group with 469 cases, followed by 436 cases among women aged 51–60.
What share of women's cancers in Gujarat is breast cancer?
Breast cancer accounts for 31.2 per cent of all cancers diagnosed among women in Gujarat, making it the most common cancer in the state among women — higher than the national average of 26.6 per cent cited in GLOBOCAN 2022.
What screening is recommended for women in Gujarat?
Gujarat Health Minister Pruful Pansheriya has advised all women above the age of 30 to conduct regular self-breast examinations. Women above 40 are specifically advised to undergo digital mammography screening at GCRI or a government health centre.
Is cancer treatment at GCRI free of cost?
Eligible patients can access GCRI's diagnostic and treatment services free of cost under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). The institute offers advanced facilities including digital mammography, CyberKnife, TrueBeam LINAC, and next-generation sequencing.
How significant is India's overall breast cancer burden?
According to GLOBOCAN 2022, India recorded 1,92,020 new breast cancer cases in 2022, making it the most common cancer among Indian women and accounting for 26.6 per cent of all women's cancers nationally. Gujarat's share of 31.2 per cent is notably above this average.
