Experts stated on World Cancer Day on Sunday that there is a very high cure rate for cancer if it is discovered and identified in its early stages, despite the fact that cancer prevalence is still rising in India.
Every year on February 4th, the world observes World Cancer Day. ‘Close the Care Gap’ is the theme for this year.
The National Cancer Registry Programme of the Indian Council of Medical Research projects that there would be 15.7 lakh cancer cases in the nation by 2025, up from 14.6 lakh in 2022.
“The first step in combating cancer in India is to educate people about getting examined for the disease before they exhibit any symptoms, as this aids in its early detection. Most cancers are treatable in more than 80% of patients if discovered early in stages I or II, according to Ashish Gupta, chief oncologist at the Unique Hospital Cancer Center in Delhi, who spoke with IANS.
“Many cancers are in stages three or four before symptoms appear, which lowers the cure rate to fewer than 25%. Gupta, who is in charge of the Cancer Mukt Bharat Campaign in India, continued, “Population-based initiatives should be adopted for prevention, control, and screening for three common cancers — oral, breast, and cervical cancer, which are most commonly found cancers in India.”
The goal of the cancer awareness campaign is to reach one million individuals in India.
As stated by Rahul Bhargava, Principal Director of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, liquid biopsy tests known as multi-cancer early detection (MCED) can discover cancer cells in the early stages even before symptoms manifest.
These tests use DNA and protein profiles to determine the likely origin of tumors through the use of machine-learning algorithms. Bhargava told IANS that “MCED tests hold immense promise for revolutionizing cancer detection.”
Early disease detection also lessens the need for expensive advanced stage therapies, which is advantageous for both individuals and health care systems.
“The majority of cancers become lethal by remaining silent and not showing any symptoms until they are too late to be treated. The most well-known for this cunning disease progression are gastric and ovarian cancers, which frequently result in late-stage diagnoses, according to radiation oncologist Vineet Nakra of Max Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi, who spoke to IANS.
The experts added that having an appropriate treatment plan in place from the moment cancer is diagnosed is crucial. Clinical results have significantly improved thanks in large part to modern medications.
“Not only chemotherapy but also immunotherapy, targeted therapy and hormonal therapies many of which were not available even 5 or 10 years ago, have drastically improved cancer cure rates,” Gupta stated.
