'Cancer incidence in India set to double in 15 years'

Bangalore, June 1 (UNI) Calling for streamlining the primary health centres (PHCs) to counter the killer cancer disease effectively, renowned oncologist and Magsaysay awardee Dr V Shantha today said the annual total cancer incidence in the country stood at 25,00,000 rpt 25,00,000 and was expected to double in the next 15 years.

Delivering an endowment lecture on 'Containing cancer - 5 decades of experience at the cancer institute' on the occasion of the decennial year of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences here, she said the annual cancer mortality stood at 4,23,000 and was expected to increase to 6,00,000 by 2020.

Stressing that early detection of cancer was the only answer to tackling the disease, she said lack of awareness and early detection mechanism at PHCs were the main causes for high prevalance of cancer patients in the country. There was a need to drive home the point that there could be a fruitful life even after cancer.

Dr Shantha said there was an ominous feature in the changing pattern of common cancers to unfavourable types. In the 1960 survey, the predominant types of cancer were oral and pharyngeal among males, and cervix and breast in females. However, now, oral cancer had been relegated to the fourth place, with the commonest site being stomach, lung and oesophagus for males. Breast and cervix still dominate the picture among females, but ovary had moved into the third place, replacing mouth.

The oncologist, who had put in over 50 years of yeoman service, prescribed four components of counter action, including prevention, creation of therapeutic network utilising the existing hospital and training of oncologic personnel. She sought the elimination of rural quackery and ineffective alternate systems of medicine and banning of public advertisement about these approaches.

UNI MV GD RKN1739