Cancer — Narrowing odds cause concern
There is an alarming increase in the number of cancer cases the world over, including in India. The disease drains families and the society as a whole. Lifestyle changes and regular screening could make a difference though
India’s cancers cases could increase by 12 per cent in the next five years. The top cancers that affect Indians are those of the lung, breast, cervix and colon- rectum.
Recently, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman succumbed to colon cancer. He’s the latest in a long list of people who have fallen victim to some form of the dreaded disease or the other. “Cancer has become one of the leading causes of death. It has become a burden on society, and drains families both emotionally and financially. One in every four persons could develop cancer during his or her lifetime,” says Dr S. Mallik, Consultant Oncologist, Onconet Cancer Centre.
The top cancers that affect Indians are those of the lung, breast, cervix and colon- rectum. “The most common cancers among men are those head and neck, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers. In women, cancer of the breast, cervix, lung and colonrectum are the most recorded,” says Dr Mallik.
According to the ICMR ( Indian Council for Medical Research), India’s cancers cases could increase by 12 per cent in the next five years.
There are several reasons for the drastic increase in cancer cases in the last two decades, the most important being lifestyle changes. “An increasing number of young people are getting exposed to smoking and alcohol. Smoking is known to cause many cancers, including of the head and neck, lung and colon- rectum,” warns Dr Mallik.
“The rising incidence of cancer in India, especially in younger people, is a major concern. It is most likely due to poor lifestyle, change in dietary habits and exposure to carcinogenic toxins in the air. Smoking, vaping and drugs can be other factors. In some patients, obesity, diabetes, smoking or a family history of cancer may play a role, but not all people who develop colorectal cancer have these risk factors,” says Dr Putta Ravi Kumar, MD Radiology, and managing director of PRK Hospitals.
CATCHING IT EARLY
Usually, it takes a long time for cancerous changes in to take place in healthy cells. “Detection of cancer cells before the actual symptoms appear is called screening. Cancer can be detected early by creating awareness about the symptoms and the importance of screening programmes,” says Dr Mallik. Early detection and treatment can prevent the disease from spreading. “Regular screening may result in catching breast, cervical, and colorectal ( colon) cancers at the initial stage, when treatment is likely to work best,” explains Dr Putta Ravi Kumar. Certain types of hereditary cancers, like breast and ovarian cancer, can be detected by genetic testing. According to Dr. Mallik, “the most common cancer screening tests are yearly mammography after 40 years of age to detect breast cancers, pap smear tests done to detect cervical cancers, and the PSA test to detect prostate cancer, apart from sigmoidoscopy once in five years for colorectal cancer detection.”