KOCHI: There is only one killer disease in the world which can affect everyone, and that is cancer. Not only the affected individual but the family, society and even the governments will be directly or indirectly involved in the treatments and end results. In a developing world or in a rich country, treating every cancer patient free of cost may become impractical.In industrialised countries, an estimated 30 percent of cancers are attributed to an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle, almost as many as attributed to tobacco use. High incidence of cancers including colon, breast, corpus uterus and kidney is associated with being overweight/ obese. Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risks of cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver and breast. In the developed world, high energy-dense and fatty foods, red meat, milk and milk products are harmful and work through different mechanisms to initiate the process of carcinogenesis and its progression. In the developing world, malnutrition, unhealthy diet, unhygenic environment, unsafe drinking water, tobacco abuse, change of lifestyle to western diet etc could be contributory factors.One in eight deaths worldwide is due to cancer. Cancer causes more deaths than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in developed countries (after heart diseases) and the third leading cause of death in developing countries (following heart and diarrhoeal diseases). It is estimated that over 80 per cent of all new cancers and 50 per cent cancer deaths worldwide are potentially preventable .Tobacco is the number one etiological agent which can initiate carcinogenesis directly and indirectly even in passive smokers. It could be the most common preventable cancer-causing factor universally. The symptoms of cancer: Change in bowel habit, a sore that does not heal, unusual discharge or bleeding, thickening or formation of lumps in any part of the body, indigestion or difficulty in swallowing, obvious change in mole or wart, nagging cough or hoarseness in voice. When we diagnose cancer early we can have smaller surgery, shorter hospital stay and least morbidity. Sometimes we can avoid chemotherapy and radiation and we can have our organs back for action. A late diagnosis leads to longer hospital stay, loss of money and eventually a miserable death. Several modern diagnostic tools and ultra-modern devises to perform complicated surgeries safely are available now. Highly-skilled cancer surgeons complemented by other fields like medical oncology and radiation oncology can perform wonders in cancer surgery.A woman with breast cancer today can return to work in 48 hours with an intact breast provided the disease is detected early. Even drainless breast cancer surgery called ‘Thomas’ technique’ pioneered by the author is a boon to cancer patients. Another surgery that has been pioneered by the author is scarless thyroid surgery (lateral thyroidectomy) wherein after the surgery, patients can go home after 24 hours from the hospital. Even total thyroidectomy could be performed through a small incision on the lateral side of the neck reducing all the known complications.Prevention of non-communicable diseases is a reality today where death rate can be reduced by 50 percent, especially in cancer-related diseases.(The writer is head of cancer division, Lakeshore Hospital. The views expressed in the article are the writer’s own. email: [email protected] Tel: 91-484-2701032, 2701033)
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