Awareness on cancer must for every woman

“Awareness about cancer should be spread among women so that the early detection of the disease could save more lives,” said Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal. He was speaking after launching the #beatingcancerinwomen – a public health awareness initiative by American Oncology Institute (AOI), on Wednesday.

Bhanwarlal appealed to media and other sections to join and sensitise women to go for screening of cancer at the earliest. Dr M Babaiah, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist, Medical Director, AOI Hyderabad said, “India has the largest number of women with cancers in the world at any given time. Fortunately, a good number of the cancers in Indian women are preventable and detectable early. We need to enhance the awareness among the women, especially the rural women, to achieve that goal.”

Dr Srinivas Juluri, Consultant and Chief of Surgical Oncology (Minimal Invasive Surgery), AOI Hyderabad said, “With ever increasing cure rates, the focus is now on early detection and treatment with minimal long-term issues. Organ preservation and cosmesis with compliance to oncologic principles in the need of the day.”

Dr Famida, senior gynaecologist said, “A huge number of women die every year due to cancers. But, unfortunately these causalities have not been reported. Even public should realise the stark reality about the situation,”. She advised the men to take their women for screening of cancer periodically.

The initiative #beatingcancerinwomen, comes at a time when incidences of cancer among women in India are on a rise due to poor personal hygiene, obesity and postponing motherhood, insufficient breastfeeding, consumption of tobacco and alcohol and overall lack of awareness about different cancers that could affect a woman.

As per Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR), as high as 2,400 fresh cancer cases are reported in Hyderabad every year with breast cancer topping the list followed by cervical cancer. Other reports indicate that for every 1,000 women in the city aged between 35 and 65 years, at least one is suffering from breast cancer but is not aware about the disease.

“The prevailing scenario can be reversed through education and adoption of better prevention strategies. Some cancers that affect women are preventable through vaccination. Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, increases the risk of getting cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers. The HPV vaccination is best possible way to prevent these cancers. Every girl should take HPV vaccination between the age of nine and 26 years. Two screening tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early,” explained the doctors.