India Records 14L New Cases Per Annum
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Hyderabad: It’s not cancer that kills anymore. It’s the lifestyle choices people make that does. This World Cancer Day, being observed on February 4, city oncologists put the blame on denizens for inviting the medical condition in most cases. They say cancer is no longer an “unforeseen” ailment in at least 70% cases. It’s the lifestyle of the person that is to blame, much like in the case of diabetes and hypertension. Ironically, the awareness levels among people have improved tremendously, with many going for screenings and tests to rule out cancer. This has also led to early detection and thus cure. Sadly, however, the improved awareness fails to reflect in the lifestyle of people, particularly those who can afford treatment in private hospitals.
Doctors note that the improved awareness has failed to check the incidence of cancer, which is rising by the day. If MNJ Institute of Oncology is recording 10,000 new cases of cancer every year, the estimated 1,000 beds in city across private cancer hospitals are falling short by the same number to accommodate the burgeoning number of cancer cases. “We have 14 lakh new cases per annum in India, a figure expected to rise by another one lakh by next year. By 2014, cancer will be the biggest killer,” says Dr Mohana Vamsy, founder, Omega Hospitals.
Of these rising numbers, many cases can be prevented, say doctors. “At least 70% cancers can be dealt with. Only 20% are sudden mutations,” says Dr Vijay Anand Reddy, director, Apollo Cancer Institute. He points out the rising cases of oral and tongue cancers and also that of gastrointestinal cancers. “It’s tobacco, high fat and high salt diet to blame,” Dr Reddy says, also adding that physical exercise missing from people’s routines that is putting them at risk.
Besides, many of the cancers have a strong relation to obesity. For instance, both breast cancer and colon cancer, obesity is a risk factor. And all that leads to obesity (alcohol, fatty food and lack of exercise) can eventually lead to this condition as well, warn doctors.
That younger people are walking into cancer hospitals is a matter of concern, doctors say.
SIXFOLD PATH
Shun use of tobacco
Eat fruits, vegetables rich diet
Reduce intake of alcohol, fat
Make physical exercise a daily routine
Stay active & maintain healthy weight
Safe sexual practices Buying a cigarette is like buying a suicide note, says doctor
“We never saw colo-rectal cancers among young people. But now owing to the changein thelifestyle andfoodhabits,it’s the young who are adding tothe numbers. Now, we see oral cancer cases among young people, with one case in his 20’s,” says Dr Ashwin M Shah, chief oncologist, Kamineni Hospitals. He notes that forms of cancer that were earlier reported among people in their 50’s or 60’s are now getting reported in the 30-40 age group. “The symbols on cigarette packs and warnings on smoking being injurious to health haven’t helped. The use of tobacco among the young is absolutely ridiculous,” says Dr Shah, adding that people buy a suicide note each time they buy acigarette.Dr Vamsy addsthat40%casesof cancer among southIndian men aretobacco related.
The predictable side effect of higher incidence of cancer has been the branching out of most major super specialty hospitals into oncology, setting up a dedicated cell or an entirely independent unit itself catering to cancer patients. Every major hospital in Hyderabad has an oncologyunit andthere aretwo morehospitalscoming up in Serilingampally andFinancial District. According to health industry sources, both the ventures would be super specialty hospitals but areexpectedtohave a biggishcancer cell. The high-end facilities have translated into better treatment. “In the 1950’s, one of four cases would get cured (of cancer). In the 1980’s it improved to one in three and now the cure rate is 50%. Which means two in four cases (of all forms of cancer put together) are getting cured,” says Dr P S Dattatreya, a senior oncologist. While it’s still rare to cure a stage IV lung cancer, but Hodgkin’s Lymphoma has an 85-90% cure rate, says Dr Dattatreya. With better awareness, in many cases cancer is also being detected early and hence it becomes easier to cure.
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