India, Jan. 10 -- A cancer diagnosis for women in rural areas throws up major challenges, the principal one being extreme financial stress. Treatment costs often drive families into poverty or massive debt, especially when the patient lacks public health coverage. Lack of awareness about symptoms, social stigma, and, often, abandonment by family impede timely and quality treatment for women from the lower income groups.

Fear of being ostracised or being seen as a burden leads women to hide symptoms and delay seeking care. Decisions to seek medical attention after the onset of symptoms and, following diagnosis, to go for treatment are often made by male family members, to the detriment of women's health. This leads to late-stage diagnoses...