Experts stress on awareness, screening, treatment to deal with cancer

NAGPUR: With changed lifestyle, pollution, and risk factors like tobacco, cancer is more of a lifestyle disease today. As cancer prevalence is increasing in both urban and rural population, time has come to create public awareness about it. More screening for cancer, early detection, and proper treatment should be the focus to deal with the disease, said experts during World Cancer Day celebrations on Tuesday.
A series of events were organized at Rashtra Sant Tukdoji (RST) Cancer Hospital, National Cancer Institute (NCI), HCG NCHRI cancer centre, and many other hospitals in city on February 4.
RST Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, which is now a tertiary cancer care centre, took out an awareness rally in the premises of the institute. Dr Subrajit Dasgupta, director of the research centre, said Vidarbha youths need to take additional care. “In Vidarbha, tobacco consumption starts as early as 11 years of age, which is a big cancer risk. Kharra, khaini and other tobacco habits must be avoided,” he said.
More than 20 organizations, colleges, and social groups participated in events at RST Cancer Hospital. Students from two colleges performed street plays on cancer. A poster exhibition on cancer was also held. Joint director Dr BK Sharma said the hospital has procured a cancer screening bus, which will travel across Vidarbha and screen people for cancer.
Events at National Cancer Institute (NCI) focused on ‘Freedom from fear of cancer’. Number of cancer cases have risen in the urban areas partly due to lifestyle changes like high stress levels, poor eating habits, irregular sleeping hours, early onset of menarche, late menopause and increasing maternal age. All these points were highlighted in the events at NCI.
On behalf of HCG NCHRI Cancer Center, awareness campaign was organized in the premises of Nagpur Central railway station, where volunteers interacted with commuters and told them about the dangers of cancers and prevention methods.