By Sonia Virani and Shraddha Bansode
“Look at me… Cancer doesn’t mean that you are going to die,” says a 32 year old Yuvraj Singh, a fighter who remained under the shadow of cancer at the peak of his career. The life of Yuvi was painfully interrupted by left lung cancer.
But, now free from fatal disease, Yuvraj Singh is back and how! He is not the only survivor. The filmfare award winning actress Manisha Koirala has bravely defeated ovarian cancer and found her way back.
Bursting the myths, Swapna Joshi – President of the Training and Nursing Association, Tata Memorial Hospital states, “The most common misconception among people is that cancer is not curable. Cancer is definitely curable provided it is detected and treated at an early stage. Also most people believe that cancer is contagious which is not true. Third myth is that all types of cancer are hereditary. This is wrong, not all cancers are hereditary. If the family has a history of cancer, then the successors need to take necessary precautions since cancer is in their genetics.”
According to World Health Organization (WHO) 7 lakh Indians die of cancer every year. “Cancer today is considered as the leading cause of deaths in India. The main reason for the rise in the number of deaths is lack of awareness and access to quality health care services.”
Unfortunately, 80 percent patients consult doctors at a stage where the disease is irreversible. Apparently, 70 per cent of deaths are reported in the developing world, with India being the fifth largest contributor to this deadly disease. Is India losing out on cancer?
If surveys are anything to go by, cancer is deeply rooted in India. In 2012 alone, 4.77 lakh men and 5.37 lakh women had succumbed to cancer. The war against the cancer is yet to be won.
“In India cervical cancer kills more women than anywhere else in the world because women here are prone to low living standards. They are not aware of the precautions they need to take to maintain sexual hygiene,” added Swapna Joshi.
Breast cancer is another classic example. Women are getting married later, having fewer children with less breast feeding. Obesity, smoking and higher alcohol intake are parts of urban woman's lifestyle, increasing the risk of breast cancer.
According to Joshi, Tata Hospital treats 40% of men diagnosed with oral and lung cancer.
Cancer is the only disease where the first treatment has to be the best treatment. With only about 1,200 qualified oncologists in the country, the first doctor that 60 per cent cancer patients go to is usually the general practitioner. With an increase in the number of cancer patients day by day, quality treatment is becoming a serious issue.
“Most cancer deaths in India are caused because of ignorance by the patient, delayed diagnosis, and lack of health care accessibility. There is a dire need of skilled manpower. Even nurses need to be trained to detect cancer symptoms in its initial stage.”
Should the government play a bigger role against war on cancer in the country?
“Government and private health care services can definitely come together to tackle the increasing number of patients. Regular screenings need to be done in villages to create awareness about the initial symptoms of cancer. More referral centers need to be put with a qualified team of doctors and nurses. The part where the government can play the most important role is putting a ban on hazardous cancer causing items like tobacco, cigarettes, pan masala and gutkha. Health care accessibility should also be made easy for people who cannot afford expensive treatments,” concludes Joshi.
Beware! Cancer may manifest itself in certain changes that appear in the body:
· Change in bladder and bowel habits
· A sore that does not heal
· Unusual bleeding or discharge
· Thickening of lumps in the breasts or testicles
· Indigestion/difficulty in swallowing
· Obvious changes in a mole or wart
· Nagging cough/ persistent hoarseness of voice
· Unexplained fever
· Sudden weight loss
· A white patch in mouth
