Prioritize anti-cancer drive: WHO to India

NEW DELHI: Concerned at the increasing number of cancer-related deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has suggested prioritizing cancer prevention and control programmes to deal with the menace. The number of cancer-related deaths in India have increased by almost 60% between 1990 and 2013, whereas the new cases of the disease almost doubled during this period, latest estimates show.

While cancer has already emerged as the second leading cause of death globally after cardiovascular diseases, discussion on how to control the disease burden assumed significance at WHO's South East Asia regional committee meet with focus on the increasing incidence of cancer in developing countries.

Experts said though cancer is often seen as a problem primarily in more affluent nations, the disease is growing rapidly in countries like India, Bangladesh and China.

"The type of cancer may vary from developed to developing countries but it is no less a threat in countries like India," said an expert in non-communicable diseases participating in the WHO meet.

Asking countries to formulate a specific strategy for early detection, treatment and palliative care, WHO also passed a resolution to control risk factors leading to cancer.

"We need to ensure comprehensive cancer services to the community including promotion, prevention of modifiable risk factors, early detection and treatment, and the availability of affordable diagnostics, medical products and palliative care," Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia Region, said during the adoption of the resolution on cancer prevention and control.

According to WHO estimates, 1.1 million deaths and 1.7 million new cases are registered in its South East Asia region every year. India accounts for a major portion with over 1,30,000 mouth cancer cases registered in 2013, the highest in the world; 1,51,304 new breast cancer cases and close to 90,000 new cervical cancer cases.

The resolution at WHO called for implementing multi-sectoral actions for "primary prevention of cancer risk factors, in particular tobacco, alcohol and exposure to environmental risk factors". It also highlighted the need to increase public awareness to reduce modifiable risk factors and strengthening community-based interventions.

"Tobacco (both smoked and smokeless) is the single most preventable cause of cancer," noted a technical paper presented at the WHO meet. The paper also highlighted that at least one-third of cancers can be prevented by implementing interventions such as vaccinations to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma and cervical cancer; reducing smoked and chewed tobacco use; decreasing alcohol use by increasing taxation and by reducing exposure to environmental and occupational carcinogens.

In 2013, there were 14.9 million new cancer cases registered worldwide, whereas 8.2 million people died due to the disease.

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/