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WHO on Cancer
Why is it in news?
- Recently, figures were released by the WHO Southeast Asia on World Cancer Day indicates that 67% cancer patients in SE Asia die before 70.
More in news
- Primary cause of deaths: Inadequate access to cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.
- National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) data:(1) One woman dies of cervical cancer every eight minutes in India.(2) For every two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, one woman dies of it in India.(3) As many as 2,500 persons die every day due to tobacco-related diseases; and tobacco (smoked and smokeless) use accounted for 3,17,928 deaths in men and women in 2018.
All about Cancer
- What is Cancer?(1) Cancer is a broad term. It describes the disease that results when cellular changes cause the uncontrolled growth and division of cells.(2) Certain forms of cancer result in visible growths called tumors, while others, such as leukemia, do not.(3) Most of the body's cells have specific functions and fixed lifespans.(4) A cell receives instructions to die so that the body can replace it with a newer cell that functions better. Cancerous cells lack the components that instruct them to stop dividing and to die.(5) Cancerous cells can form tumors, impair the immune system and cause other changes that prevent the body from functioning regularly.
- Is cancer genetic?(1) Genetic factors can contribute to the development of cancer.(2) A person's genetic code tells their cells when to divide and expire. Changes in the genes can lead to faulty instructions, and cancer can result.
- Examples of approaches to cancer treatment: Chemotherapy, Hormone therapy, Immunotherapy, Precision medicine, or personalized medicine, Radiation therapy, Stem cell transplant, Targeted therapy.
Source
The Hindu, Cancer.net