Cancer Prevention
Prevention is the key to eliminate cancer. Cancer risk of the population can be reduced by 40-50% by adopting healthy life styles and vaccinations against specific cancers. Recent statistics on cancer by ICMR clearly reflect the magnitude of cancer in India.
| S.No | Indicator | Statistics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | People living with cancer | 2.25 million |
| 2 | New cancer cases registered | 11,57,294 lakh |
| 3 | Cancer deaths every year | 7,84,82,110 lakh |
| 4 | Risk of developing cancer before age 75 years (Male) | 9.81% |
| 5 | Risk of developing cancer before age 75 years (Female) | 9.42% |
| 6 | Risk of dying from cancer before the age of 75 years (Male) | 7.34% |
| 7 | Risk of dying from cancer before the age of 75 years (Female) | 6.28% |
Updated August 2020
Levels of Cancer Prevention
Cancer can be prevented by Primary and Secondary prevention. Primary prevention reduces the likelihood that a disease or disorder will develop and secondary prevention refers to detecting the disease early.
How to Achieve Primary Prevention?
The aim of primary prevention is to limit the incidence of disease by controlling specific causes and risk factors. In India 40-50% of cancers are caused by use of tobacco and tobacco products, alcohol, environment pollution, junk food, obesity, Hepatitis, HIV, Human Papilloma Virus, and Helicobacter Pylori etc. Having one or more risk factors does not mean a person will develop cancer. Many people have at least one cancer risk factor but will never get cancer, while others with cancer may have had no known risk factors.
Some of the steps for primary prevention of cancer are -
- Avoid active and passive smoking (Cigarette, Beeri, Cigar, Churat , Pan Masala, Gutka, Kheni etc)
- Limit your alcohol intake.
- Have a healthy diet i.e. eat whole grains, fresh fruits, pulses, nuts and fresh vegetables.
- Avoid red meats, smoked or cured foods, hot food / drinks in plastic containers.
- Limit high calorie foods with high content of sugar and fat.
- Exercise regularly and actively
- Prevent environment pollution
- Use adequate personal protection devices like gloves, masks while working in industries involved in chemicals, pesticides, fungicides, thinners, cleansing fluids and asbestos
- Practice sun safety and recognize when skin changes occur.
- Avoid multiple sex partners.
- Know your personal and family history of cancer.
- Complete treatment of HIV and Helicobacter Pylori
- Get Immunized against
- Hepatitis B and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine schedule-
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Children 9-14 yrs - 2 doses (0 and 6 months)
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Women 15-45 yrs - 3 doses (0, 1 month and 6 months)
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Women who have received the HPV vaccine still need regular cervical screening because 30% of cervical cancers are caused by other HPV types
How to Achieve Secondary Prevention?
Secondary prevention means detecting cancer at an early stage (Pre cancerous, Stage-I and Stage- II) and treating it promptly, so that we do not suffer, do not spend too much money and do not lose our lives. Early detection can be achievable by routine self examination and annual clinical examination.
Self-Examination
Many a time’s people feel that Self Examination is important only for females, but it’s a wrong notion. It is important for all people, whether men and women to examine their bodies routinely.
This procedure is very simple and easy. One can do it her/himself. Fix any date in the month for your monthly self-examination. Premenopausal women should choose a date 6-8 days after their menstrual period.
| S.No | Body Part | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Skin Checking your skin for suspicious changes can help detect skin cancer at its earliest stages. |
Changes in –
|
|
2 |
Head and Neck |
The symptoms of head and neck cancers often include a lump or a sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty in swallowing, and a change or hoarseness in the voice. A thorough examination of the following areas is important for early detection of head and neck malignancies- Oral Cavity: Using a hand mirror and torch light, look for - white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or the lining of the mouth. Look for any swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable; and unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth. Larynx and Pharynx: Look for pain when swallowing or ear pain, trouble breathing or speaking, pain in the neck or the throat that does not go away, frequent headaches, pain, ringing in the ears, or trouble hearing. Paranasal Sinuses and Nasal Cavity: look for any frequent bleeding through the nose; frequent headaches, swelling or other trouble with the eyes; pain in the upper teeth; or problems with dentures. Also remember to do a thorough physical examination of your lymph nodes; they may appear as enlarged or painful on touch. |
|
3 |
Breast Examination |
The best time to do a breast self-exam is a 7 to 10 days after your monthly menstrual cycle ends. Hormonal changes may affect the size and feel of your breasts, so it is best to perform the exam when your breasts are in their normal state. If you are pregnant, no longer have periods or your period is irregular, choose a specific day each month. You should also keep a record of your self-exams. This will help you track and record any changes you may have noticed in your breasts. Stand topless in front of a full size mirror with your hands at your sides. Visually inspect your breasts for changes in size, shape or symmetry, dimpling, inverted nipples, puckering and asymmetrical ridges at the bottom. Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes. Look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood). With fingertips close together, gently probe each breast in one of three patterns as depicted below.
|
|
4 |
Abdomen |
See for any protrusion, feel the abdomen for any lump, mass etc. |
|
5 |
Genitalia |
Testicular cancers can often be found early through examination. A lump on the testicle is often the first sign of cancer. The testicle may also be swollen or larger than normal. The best time to perform the self-exam is during a bath or shower. The skin of the scrotum will be relaxed and the warmth will cause the testicles to hang lower away from the body. To perform the examination hold the penis out of the way so that you can examine one testicle at a time. Hold one testicle between the fingers and thumbs of both hands. Roll the testicle gently between the fingers. Note any smooth bumps, hard lumps or changes in consistency, size or shape of the testicle. Repeat the procedure on the other testicle. It is normal for one testicle to be slightly larger and to hang lower than the other. A digital rectal examination is recommended after the age of 50 years to look for prostate enlargement. For all married women it is important that they undergo a pap smear testing to look for early signs of cervical cancer. |
Look for Warning Signs of Cancer: They can easily be remembered by the pneumonic
Cautionus
- Change in bowel or bladder habits.
- A sore that does not heal.
- Unusual bleeding or discharge.
- Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere.
- Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing.
- Obvious change in a wart or mole.
- Nagging cough or hoarseness
- Unexplained anemia
- Sudden weight loss
Annual Clinical Examination
It is very important that annual clinical examination be done by a trained healthcare provider so that no early warning signs go unnoticed.
Our Services for Cancer Prevention
- Public Awareness lectures/ talks/workshop
- Counselling of patient’s attendants in Primary and Secondary Prevention.
- Immunization against Human Papilloma Virus and Hepatitis B
- De - addiction clinic for Tobacco and alcohol
- Cancer screening and follow up clinics for common cancers.
- Manpower Training and development in Preventive Oncology
- Publishing of Scientific papers
- Volunteer Training Programme
Educational Material Prepared by the Department of Preventive Oncology
Pamphlets
- Breast Self-Examination
- How to prevent Cancer
Posters
- Oral Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Breast Cancer
