Cancer Becomes a Common Household Word
World Cancer Day is commemorated on February 4 each year, with the objective of tackling the problem of cancer in a positive and proactive manner. Apart from spreading awareness about the dreaded disease, the event aims at achieving treatment for affected people, especially in the low and middle-income countries. Since these countries have very low penetration of cancer insurance, a lot of cancer deaths occur because people are unable to afford treatment.
Cancer is like an epidemic that has spread across the globe and the burden is huge. According to Globocan Report 2012, published by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization, over 8.2 million people die of this disease every year and half of them are premature deaths of people between the ages 30 and 69. The report estimates that 65% of the cancer deaths and 57% of the new cancer cases occur in less developed regions of the world, such as India.
In India, there is hardly any person today who is doesn’t have a near or dear one affected the ailment. It is estimated that India alone contributes to 7.8% of the global cancer burden and 8.33% of cancer deaths. The most common types of cancer prevailing in India, considering both males and females, are those of the breast, cervix uteri, lip-oral, lung and colorectum. These five types nearly comprise half of the 28 types reported. Cancers of the breast and cervix uteri contribute to over 25% of the total cancer burden in India. In India, diagnosis as well as treatment remains largely inaccessible because of low income, poor government support, and lack of medical facilities and awareness regarding critical illness insurance.
Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
This disease grows stealthily and the early symptoms are often overlooked. Most Indians never suspect they might have the ailment, which is why diagnosis and treatment are often delayed. Some of the most common symptoms are:
• Persistent headache
• Shortness of breath
• Prolonged cough or sore throat
• Loss of appetite
• A sore or bruise taking longer than usual to heal
• Unexplained weight loss or tiredness
• New lumps or growths on the skin
• A mole that changes shape, size or bleeds
• Unexplained changes to nails
While having any of these symptoms does not necessarily mean one is affected by cancer, any of these persisting for a prolonged period, such as three weeks or more, should be considered a warning signal.
Cancer is treated through various methods like chemotherapy, medication and surgery. Both the diagnosis as well as the treatment is expensive and it is advisable to have a critical illness insurance plan that offer monetary support at such times.
World Cancer Day is commemorated on February 4 each year, with the objective of tackling the problem of cancer in a positive and proactive manner. Apart from spreading awareness about the dreaded disease, the event aims at achieving treatment for affected people, especially in the low and middle-income countries. Since these countries have very low penetration of cancer insurance, a lot of cancer deaths occur because people are unable to afford treatment.
Cancer is like an epidemic that has spread across the globe and the burden is huge. According to Globocan Report 2012, published by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization, over 8.2 million people die of this disease every year and half of them are premature deaths of people between the ages 30 and 69. The report estimates that 65% of the cancer deaths and 57% of the new cancer cases occur in less developed regions of the world, such as India.
In India, there is hardly any person today who is doesn’t have a near or dear one affected the ailment. It is estimated that India alone contributes to 7.8% of the global cancer burden and 8.33% of cancer deaths. The most common types of cancer prevailing in India, considering both males and females, are those of the breast, cervix uteri, lip-oral, lung and colorectum. These five types nearly comprise half of the 28 types reported. Cancers of the breast and cervix uteri contribute to over 25% of the total cancer burden in India. In India, diagnosis as well as treatment remains largely inaccessible because of low income, poor government support, and lack of medical facilities and awareness regarding critical illness insurance.
Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
This disease grows stealthily and the early symptoms are often overlooked. Most Indians never suspect they might have the ailment, which is why diagnosis and treatment are often delayed. Some of the most common symptoms are:
• Persistent headache
• Shortness of breath
• Prolonged cough or sore throat
• Loss of appetite
• A sore or bruise taking longer than usual to heal
• Unexplained weight loss or tiredness
• New lumps or growths on the skin
• A mole that changes shape, size or bleeds
• Unexplained changes to nails
While having any of these symptoms does not necessarily mean one is affected by cancer, any of these persisting for a prolonged period, such as three weeks or more, should be considered a warning signal.
Cancer is treated through various methods like chemotherapy, medication and surgery. Both the diagnosis as well as the treatment is expensive and it is advisable to have a critical illness insurance plan that offer monetary support at such times.