Breast cancer at 17 shocks doctors in MP’s Mandla:Tumor grew to football size; family rushed her to Jabalpur Medical College after severe bleeding began

A 17-year-old girl was diagnosed with breast cancer — a condition typically found in women aged 35 to 65 in Mandla district. The cancer, initially a small lump, grew rapidly to the size of a football due to delayed diagnosis and improper treatment, leaving doctors at Jabalpur Medical College astonished. Ignored lump turned into cancer The teenager first noticed a small lump in her breast a few months ago but kept it hidden from her family. When the lump began to enlarge and cause pain, she told her mother. Assuming it was a minor problem, the family sought treatment at the Mandla District Hospital, where doctors operated without conducting a biopsy. Soon after surgery, her condition worsened — she began bleeding from the affected breast. Alarmed, her family took her to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Medical College in Jabalpur, where tests confirmed she had breast cancer. Hemoglobin dropped to 4 during treatment Doctors found the girl’s hemoglobin level had dropped to 4 g/dL, making surgery extremely risky. She was first stabilized through blood transfusions before the medical team could proceed with surgery. Following the successful operation, the girl was declared fit for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Father recounts the ordeal The girl’s father said, “She suddenly fell while working at home and started bleeding. We rushed her to the district hospital, where they operated. But when her condition worsened, doctors referred her to Jabalpur.” Doctors explain the challenges Dr. Sanjay Yadav, part of the surgical team, said, Breast cancer in a 17-year-old is exceptionally rare. Such cases are usually seen in women aged between 35 and 65. The lack of awareness among patients and families often delays correct diagnosis. In this case, no biopsy was done initially, which made things worse. He added that the tumor had spread up to 20 centimeters, and the patient also had wounds in the affected breast. “Her hemoglobin was critically low, so we had to first stabilize her. After a challenging surgery, she became eligible for further cancer treatment,” he said. Rising incidence of breast cancer General surgeon Dr. Ashutosh Silodhya from Jabalpur Medical College said breast cancer has now become the number one cancer in India. “Awareness remains very low. If patients reach the hospital on time, the disease is completely curable and rarely life-threatening,” he emphasized. Doctors urge early self-examination Doctors stressed that breast cancer does not depend on age.
Dr. Yadav advised, Young women should learn breast self-examination and report any changes immediately to a specialist. Early detection can save lives. Breast cancer is curable if treated at the right time.