Breast Cancer Edges out Cervical Cancer as Most Common Cancer in India: Dr Rajan Sahu

By Tricitynews

Chandigarh 29^th May:- With decreased health awareness and late diagnosis, India is headed to earn dubious distinction of having large numbers of cancer cases wherein 25 lac people suffer from cancer, of which 12 Lacs are new cases. The malady claims 5 lac lives each year in India, while breast and cervical cancer are the most common cancers in females, whereas lung anf orals are most common cancers in males in India.

Dr. Brig Rajeshwar Singh, Director Medical Oncology, Paras Multispeciality Hospitals Panchkula said while talking to media persons to create awareness on Rising Trends of Cancer in North India and observe World No tobacco.

Flanked by Dr Rajan Sahu, Sr. Consultant Surgical Oncology, Dr Parneet Singh Consultant Radiation Oncology, Dr Jagandeep Singh, Associate Consultant Ortho Oncology and Dr Anupam Gauba, Consultant Nuclear Medicine from Paras Hospitals Panchkula, Dr Rajeshwar added that till few decades ago breast cancer was detected in women after the age of  fifty years and the number of young women suffering from this disease were lesser.

He added that almost 65% to 70% patients were above 50 years and only 30 to 35% women were below fifty years of age. However, presently, breast cancer is more common in younger age group and 50% of all cases are in the 25 to 50 years age group. More than 70% of the cases present in advanced stage accounting for poor survival and high mortality.

He also shared that screening tests help in early detection of Cancer Mammography for Breast Cancer, Pap smear for Ca Cervix and PSA for Ca Prostate can be done to pick cancer cases at early stage.

Discussing the issue Dr Rajan Sahu shared that India continues to report highest prevalence of oral cancers globally with around 1.2 Lac new cases of such cancers reported every year. Chewing tobacco and gutkha contribute to 90 per cent of oral cancer cases in India. He also shared that one third of the cancers can be prevented by lifestyle modification. In India, tobacco alone is responsible for 1.5 lakh cancers, 4.2 million heart diseases, 3.7 million lung diseases every year.

He said that India has dubious distinction of being oral cancer capital of world because of rampant habit of tobacco chewing.  25 lakh total cancer patients & every year 8 lakh cancet patient died, but 3 lakh people die due reason of tabacco chewing. The Health Ministry's own statistics show that over 65 per cent of cancers in India can be attributed to tobacco use.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Parneet Singh also shared that m number of new cases of cancer is expected to rise by about 70 percent over the next two decades.“Radiation therapy involves delivering high energy X Rays to body to kill the cancer cells and disrupting their ability to grow and divide without having untoward side effects on nearby normal organs.

On the occasion, Dr Jagandeep Singh shared that nowadays there is new branch of Ortho Onco surgery at Paras Hospitals Panchkula which deals with all type of Bone Tumors and Sarcomas and Limb preservation surgeries can be carried out in almost 90% of cases of Bone cancer. With newer modalities available for reconstruction, patients with bone cancer can not only managed with Limb preservation, but can also expect good function of effected limb after surgery.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Anupam Gauba Said that PT scan can help to find out presence on Cancer, evaluate extend of Cancer, plan possible course of Treatment response. Further it can also be used for early detection of Recurrent disease.