Cancer is a growing public health problem worldwide, causing unimaginable social and economic problems in developing countries like India. Cancer in all forms causes about 12% of deaths throughout the world. According to the National Cancer Control Program, over 7-9 lakh new cancer cases are being detected every year in India.

The State of Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest cancer cases, followed by Maharashtra in 2013-14 together, accounting for more than a whopping 5 lakh cases in just two years. The International Agency for Research on Cancer GLOBOCAN project has predicted that India’s cancer burden will nearly double in the next 20 years to more than 1.7 million cases by 2035.

HatkeStory, therefore, wants to educate our readers to understand “What Cancer is easy?” and “What its potential risk factors/causes are.”

What is Cancer?

According to the National Cancer Institute, USA, Cancer is the name given to a collection of related diseases. In all types of cancer, some of the body’s cells begin to divide without stopping and spread into surrounding tissues.

How is Cancer Caused?

Cancer is a genetic disease caused by changes to genes that control the way our body cells function, especially how they grow and divide. When cancer develops, the orderly process of cell division breaks down. As cells become more and more abnormal, old or damaged cells survive when they die, and new cells form when they are not needed. These extra cells can divide without stopping and may form growths called tumors.

Genetic changes that cause cancer can be inherited from our parents. They can also arise during a person’s lifetime due to errors that occur as cells divide or damaged DNA caused by specific environmental exposures. Cancer-causing environmental exposures include substances, such as tobacco smoke, and radiation, such as ultraviolet rays from the sun.

Which part of the body does cancer affect?

Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body.

Can cancer spread from one part of the body to the other?

Yes, the process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body is called metastasis. Cancer that has spread from the place where it first started to another place in the body is called metastatic cancer.

What are the common types of cancer?

• Carcinoma: Affects epithelial cells in the human body
• Sarcoma: Affects Bone and Soft Tissue
• Leukemia: Affects blood-forming tissue of the bone marrow
• Lymphoma: Affects immune cells called lymphocytes
• Myeloma: Affects immune cells called plasma cells
• Melanoma: Affects pigment making cells that give skin color
• Brain and Spinal Cord Tumours
• Germ Cell Tumours: Affects cells that produce sperm/eggs
• Neuroendocrine Tumours: Affect cells that release hormones
• Carcinoid Tumours: Mostly affect the rectum and small intestine

Why is there NO perfect cure for cancer?

Cancer can be successfully treated if detected in the early stages with proper and prompt treatment. There is NO perfect cure because cancer differs significantly from person to person and can not apply the same generic treatment to all.

How is cancer treated?

Treatment depends on the type of cancer. The procedure generally involves Surgery or Drugs or Radiation, or a combination of these methods.

Why is Cancer treatment so costly?

Some factors:

• High cost of Drug development & Monopoly of some Pharmaceutical Companies
• Cancer is a frightening condition, and people are ready to pay any price.
• Hospital bills are high too, excluding the price of medicines.

What can you do to prevent cancer?

They say: “Prevention is better than cure.”

• Avoid alcohol and tobacco
• Eat healthily and exercise regularly
• Ensure immunization against viruses such as Hepatitis B
• Immediately consult a doctor if you detect any unwanted changes in your body

List of hospitals/institutes that offer affordable or accessible treatment for the poor:

• Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai
• Cancer Care Foundation of India, Mumbai
• Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI)
• Dharamshila Hospital and Research (DHRC), Delhi
• The Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute
• ICS Cancer Detection Centre, Mumbai
• Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore
• Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute, Kolkata
• Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
• Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre
• Shree Santram Samadhi Sthan, Nadiad (Gujarat)
• Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai
• Tata Memorial Hospital, Kolkata

Sources:

1. http://pbhealth.gov.in/Cancer Control Programme.pdf
2. https://tmc.gov.in/ncg/docs/PDF/Growing%20burden%20of%20cancer%20in%20India%20-%20epidemiology%20and%20social%20context.pdf
3. List of regional cancer centers. http://mohfw.nic.in/showfile.php?lid=333
4. National Cancer Institute, USA

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