Improve lifestyle to keep cancer at bay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 21

Doctors call for improving lifestyle and physical activity to ward off threat of breast cancer in which Chandigarh has the highest number of cases after Delhi and Chennai.

Per one lakh, 35.1 females have breast cancer in Chandigarh, only behind Delhi (41) and Chennai (37.5), as per population based cancer registry (PBCR) of 2013-14. “Changing lifestyle, diet, overweight and physical inactivity are some of the causes for breast cancer,” said Dr JS Thakur in a press conference here today.

Dr Rakesh Kapoor said 82 to 85 per cent cancer cases reported in first stage had a survival chance. Dr Pankaj Malhora said, “By not taking tobacco, one can save one self from many types of cancer.

The PGI in collaboration with Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, World NCD Federation, Health Department, Chandigarh, and Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, would organise national CME on cancer registries on January 23 at Bhargava Auditorium here.

In India, cancer is on the rise. The estimated number of people living with cancer is 22.6 lakh. In 2018, the number of new cancer cases was 11.6 lakh and 7.8 lakh deaths occurred due to cancer. The risk of dying due to cancer before 75 years is 7.34% in males and 6.28% in females. Although, Breast cancer is the most common in India, cervical cancer is still prevalent.