Awareness key to fight cancer, say doctors

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, March 2

Doctors of the cancer department in Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, said awareness was the best way to fight cancer and its prevention was vital to tackle it. They have been organising special awareness-cum-screening camps in rural areas.

At Hari Nau village here on Monday, over 200 persons of above 50 years — 40 per cent male and 60 per cent female — were examined during a camp. A healthy lifestyle, increased awareness, and screening have great potential to reduce the risk and rate of cancer, said Dr Pardeep Garg, head, cancer department of the hospital.

He said most common factors were smoking, drinking alcohol, obesity, inactivity, ultraviolet radiation, air pollutants, food carcinogens and chemicals, including asbestos and benzene.

“As the risk of cancer increases with the age, screening of all persons of above 50 years is recommended. However, in case of family history of cancer, the screening age of 40 years is advisable,” said Dr Manraj Singh Kang.

The doctors reached the village in a mobile van, which has especially been designed and equipped for screening and diagnosing cancer. The van built at a cost of more than Rs2 crore is equipped with a mammography machine, ultrasonogram, and materials that teach the method and importance of self-examination.

As breast cancer among women is more prevalent in the region, doctors during the awareness camp taught women about the breast self-examination (BSE) technique, which allows them to examine a woman her breast tissue for any physical or visual changes. According to the doctors, it is often used as an early detection method for breast cancer.