Govt screening detects 40,000 cancer cases in 100 districts

NEW DELHI: Almost 40,000 people with cancer were detected during the government’s door-todoor screening programme in 100 districts last year, according to data published in the National Health Profile 2018 (NHP 2018).

Many of the patients were not even aware that they had the disease or suffered from other medical conditions they were screened for.

Under the Union ministry of health and family welfare’s national programme on prevention and control of Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPDCS), 36 million people above the age of 30 were screened for three common cancers (oral, cervix and breast). They were also screened for diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases and stroke.

Out of 39,635 cases reported to have cancer, 44% were from Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The three states reported 9,164, 4,713 and 3,523 cases, respectively.

“Early screening for NCDs (non-communicable diseases) puts people on treatment in time. So there’s primary prevention and also secondary prevention by controlling complications that may develop as a result,” said Manoj Jhalani, mission director of the national health mission. One in eight men and one in nine women in India will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime, estimates the National Cancer Registry .

An estimated 1.45 million new cancer cases are reported each year in India, of which 50% result in death. “These figures are not representative of the entire population. These are people who have been screened at the NCD clinics and is for the purpose of prevention and referral,” said Dr GK Rath, former head of the AIIMS Cancer Institute.