Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Nearly 40 percent of cancers can be prevented as it is more a lifestyle disease caused due to consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and obesity.
Tobacco being the largest ‘preventable’ cause of 15 different cancers while obesity is the leading cause of 13 types of cancers and alcohol can cause 5 types of cancers including head and neck cancer, esophageal, liver, breast, and colorectal cancer,” said by National Chairman-IMA Cancer Prevention and Tobacco Control Committee Dr Dilip Acharya.
He informed that cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide while In India, non communicable diseases were estimated to account for 63 percent of all deaths and surprisingly, cancer was one of the leading causes which accounts for over 9 percent of total deaths.
Referring to the Cancer Registry of India, the oncologist said as the majority of the patients with cancer were diagnosed at the locally advanced stage for breast (57%), cervix uteri (60%), head and neck (66.6%), and stomach cancer (50.8%), whereas in lung cancer, distant metastasis was predominant among males (44.%) and females (47.6%).
Dr Acharya added that consumption of tobacco and alcohol, and obesity are lifestyle issues and it also refers to cancer as a lifestyle disease which can be prevented with changes in lifestyle.
He also appealed to the government to sponsor the vaccination for cervical cancer and to add it in the national immunization programme to eliminate the disease from the country.
Early detection is important
A study among rural women with cervical cancer found the five-year survival rate to be 9 percent when diagnosed at Stage IV but it increased to 78 percent when diagnosed at an early stage, hence early detection and treatment is the need of the hour.
“Breast cancer has the highest incidence and death amongst all cancers in men and women combined. Its incidence in both sex’s together is 13.5 percent (178361pts.) amongst all cancers as compared to lip and oral cavity 10.3 percent (135929), followed by cervix uterus i.e. 9.4percent and lung cancer with 5.5 percent.
Over 4500 patients get treated at Government Cancer Hospital
According to Superintendent of Government Cancer Hospital Dr Ramesh Arya, over 4500 new cancer patients reached Government Cancer Hospital in 2021. The number was 5688 new patients in 2019 and 2412 in 2020.
Dr Arya said that the number of patients for palliative care has also been increased which also suggests that patients are neglecting the disease and reaching for the treatment with delay.
“Cases of palliative care in 2020 were 2096 which is a matter of concern. Many patients might have avoided symptoms or gotten any alternative treatment due to reaching the hospital late,” he added.
Lifestyle chances and good diet is key in increase lifespan
Professor of Radiation Oncology in Shri Aurobindo Medical College Dr Virendra Bhandari said, the most effective treatments available for cancer treatment are radiotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy alone or in combination as per requirement of the disease in the patient which will be suggested by the cancer physician and not quacks. “People should be ready for a long duration of treatment and take a good diet high in proteins, vitamins, and minerals and also remain active in life such that they can tolerate the treatment well and achieve a good response and cure and a good quality of life,” he said.
