By Marc Silver

A woman finds a lump in her breast.

And for a long time, she doesn't tell anybody. Not her family. And not her doctor.

That happens all too often in low- and lower-middle-income countries, says Dr. Ben Anderson, a surgical oncologist who is the director of the Breast Health Global Initiative at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

We spoke to Anderson to learn why there is hesitancy to report a breast lump in some countries. We also asked about a new study he co-authored, showing that the rate of breast cancer cases and the number of deaths from the disease are increasing in countries "undergoing rapid changes in human development," such as Colombia, Ecuador and Japan. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Read the full interview with Professor Ben Anderson on NPR's Goats & Soda blog.