Cancer sees alarming rise

Since the incidence of cancer is on rise in the country, the ministry of health and family welfare is concerned about development of good facilities for cancer treatment in India, said Prof N.K. Ganguly, director-general, Indian Council of Medical Research. He was speaking at the inauguration of 20th Annual convention of Indian Association for Cancer Research, in Ahmedabad on Friday.

The three-day convention will focus on advances made in cancer research in the last one year. The thrust of the research is on molecular biology, development of vaccines for prevention and development of new drugs for chemotherapy. The scientific programme of the convention will focus on cancer etiology, epidemiology, prevention, cell biology, clinical oncology, experimental research and molecular aspects of cancer.

Talking about importance of annual convention Dr Ganguly said major policy decisions are made on cancer prevention and cancer management in the convention. Speaking about cancer in India, Dr Ganguly said the thrust now is on preventable cancer. In India, cervical cancer is highly prevalent, whereas in developed countries, they have successfully brought down the rate of cervical cancer to the absolute minimum.

Developing countries account for 80 per cent of the mortality in cervical cancer. It is caused due to the lifestyle and social customs practiced in developing countries like early marriages, tobacco consumption, poor health and hygiene and infection of genetic tract. Dr Ganguly said this can be now treated on the spot by even door-to-door visits, as it can be self-diagnosed.

Normally cervical cancer is more prevalent in developing countries due to poverty said Dr Ashraf Iman, director of Gene Therapy Program, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, USA. Dr Iman was here to deliver a talk on gene therapy, which is used to block the enzymes allowing cancer cells to proliferate.

Dr Iman has brought funds for cancer research in India for oral and cervical cancer, the two highly prevalent and preventable forms of cancer. He said HPV virus forms cervical cancer, which occur if there is frequent infection of the cervices.Another frequent form of cancer prevalent on India is oral cancer, which is mainly caused due to oral tobacco consumption. Dr Ganguly was concerned about the attractive forms of advertisements employed by gutkha companies to attract the young and vulnerable in the society. He said in Gujarat an effective method for intervention can be used since this state has dry laws.

Again this is a preventable form of cancer, which can be brought down with education and awareness about the harmful effects of oral tobacco consumption. Sixteen eminent scientists from Belgium, Germany, Japan, UK and the USA participated in this convention. Around 200 scientists from all over the country are attending the convention.

Republished from Asianage