DISHA - Dharamshila Cancer Survivor Programme

Cancer prevalence is defined as the total number of cancer survivors living in a population.

Over the last four decades cancer treatment has evolved by leaps and bounds. Earlier it was assumed that most patients would die of the diseases, whereas today a majority of people with early diagnosis of cancer are expected to be cured.

World-wide it is estimated that there are approximately 30 million or more cancer survivors.

The number of cancer survivors living continues to increase each year as a result of the growth and aging of the population, as well as increases in survival due to changes in early-detection practices and treatment advances.

The largest group of cancer survivors in the USA are women who had breast cancer (23 %) followed by prostate cancer (in men 19 %), colorectal cancer (10 %) gynaecologic cancer (9 %), blood cancer (7 %) bladder cancer (6 %) melanoma (5 %) lung cancer (3%) and other (17%). We do not have any estimate for these figures in India.

During this period guidelines for Quality Cancer Care have become well defined and established. Quality Cancer Care not only includes different aspects of the Treatment Plan but also a detailed Survivorship Plan for each patient has become an integral part of Quality Cancer Care.