Every year, on the 7th of November, National Cancer Awareness Day is observed across the country. The primary objective is to focus on the dire need for early cancer detection to combat this incurable and fatal disease effectively.
Understanding Cancer
Cancer is a vast spectrum of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth that can originate in nearly any organ or tissue within the body. These rogue cells grow uncontrollably, bypassing their normal boundaries, invading adjacent body parts, and/or spreading to other organs – a process known as metastasizing. This is one of the main reasons cancer results in death. Also commonly referred to as a malignant tumor or a neoplasm, cancer varies in types. In men, the most preponderant variants include lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach, and liver cancer. Conversely, the types most prevalent in women are breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, and thyroid cancers.
The Burden of Cancer
Globally, including India, cancer stands as one of the primary causes of adult illness and death due to chronic and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). As per the World Health Organisation’s report, cancer ranks as the second leading cause of death worldwide. In 2018, out of approximately 18 million cancer cases recorded globally, 1.5 million were reported in India alone. Additionally, India accounted for around 0.8 million out of 9.5 million global cancer deaths in the same year. The statistics also suggest that the number of new cases in India is projected to double by 2040.
Prevention and Risk Factors
Strikingly, between 30% and 50% of cancer-related casualties could be averted through lifestyle modifications or by avoiding the primary risk factors. These comprise tobacco and alcohol consumption, an unhealthy diet, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, pollution, chronic infections, and more.
Treatment Modalities
Common treatment methods deployed to combat cancer encompass surgery, medication, and radiotherapy employed singularly or in tandem. Palliative care, with its focus on enhancing patients’ and their families’ quality of life, is also a crucial element of cancer treatment.
Global and Indian Initiatives
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), established in 1965, operates as the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization. February 4th is recognized globally as World Cancer Day.
In India, the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke (NPCDCS) operates under the National Health Mission (NHM), extending up to district-level activities. Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (PM-JAY), a component of Ayushman Bharat, aims to alleviate the financial strain on vulnerable groups resulting from catastrophic hospital episodes and ensure access to quality health services.
Other significant national initiatives include The National Cancer Grid (NCG), an amalgamation of major cancer centers, research institutes, patient groups, and charitable institutions across India. Formed in August 2012, it aims to establish uniform standards of patient care for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and facilitate collaborative basic, translational, and clinical research in cancer.
In a promising move towards affordability in healthcare, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) launched a Pilot on Trade Margin Rationalization for 42 anti-cancer drugs in February 2020. This decisive step resulted in a notable reduction in drug prices, thereby alleviating the financial burden on patients.
