Dr Eugene George Rent
MS, M Ch (Surgical Oncology)
Consultant Cancer Surgeon
A J Hospital & Research Centre
February 4 is World Cancer Day
Feb 4: Cancer, a dreaded disease we have all heard about. A disease that has at some time claimed the life of a friend, a relative or a loved one. A disease that breeds fear and despair in our minds washing away all hope.
But cancer doesn’t always mean death. In advanced stage yes, it’s rarely curable but if detected early it most often can be cured. That is why screening for cancer is so vital in combating this disease. The theme of the year "We can. I Can" calls for participation of all – as a collective effort or as individuals can do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer.
The objective of creating awareness is to save people from cancer and educate the community about the cancer symptoms, preventive measures, healthy diet and lifestyle modification. That is why screening for cancer is so vital in combating this disease.
But what do we mean by screening? It involves a few simple tests and procedures done to detect common cancers at a very early stage before it spreads thus improving the chance of cure. They are painless and inexpensive with absolutely no side effects. There are a lot of advertisements circulating these days that talk about a single blood test or urine test that can diagnose any cancer. This is not true. Screening is not done in a lab. It’s done by a doctor who will evaluate your chances of developing disease and based on your risk he’ll prescribe the required tests, one for each system that is one for breast cancer, one for colon and stomach cancer, one for cervical cancer and so on.
In women, breast cancer and cervical cancer are the two commonest malignancies seen in India and both can be detected very early if screening protocols are followed. Steps in early detection of breast cancer include self breast examination, examination by a trained doctor and a yearly mammogram. Self breast examination is a structured, defined approach to examining your own breasts to look for any lumps. Please do meet a trained doctor and ask him how it is done. Learning over the internet will give you half baked knowledge and do more harm than good. The other steps are evaluation of your risk by a doctor based on your family history and hormone exposure and if necessary a mammography thereafter.
For cervical cancer an examination by your doctor and a pap smear is all that is needed and is very sensitive in detecting cancer at an early stage. Pap smear means that a small brush is used to remove a few shed cells which are evaluated under a microscope. There is no painful biopsy involved. These simple tests along with a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise and good diet will go a long way in reducing your risk of developing this deadly disease.
Remember, early detection saves lives!