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World Cancer Day celebrated around the world on February 4th of each year. Stresses the need for urgent action to increase early detection, screening and diagnosis of cancer in order to significantly improve the chances of survival for cancer patients.
This year's theme is "I am and I want to", to inspire individuals, the health community and governments to take action to improve public awareness and access to early detection, screening and testing. diagnostic.
According to the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), more than 18 million new cases of cancer in the world were observed in 2018, including nearly 5 million bad, cervical, colorectal and could have been detected earlier and treated more effectively, thereby improving treatment. survival rate and quality of life.
The situation in Pakistan is very alarming because, after cardiovascular diseases, cancer is the second leading cause of death.
Approximately 150,000 to 200,000 new cases of cancer are registered each year in Pakistan and, in most cases, patients consult their doctors at a very late or late stage, and the facilities available to treat such a large number of patients are many more. Less.
In such a bleak scenario, SKMCH & RC does its best to treat cancer patients not only in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan. Incidentally, cancer is one of the most expensive diseases to treat. Nearly ten thousand new patients enroll each year with SKMCH & RC. Since 1994, 75% of its patients have benefited from cancer treatment with financial support, and more than 39 billion rupees have been spent for free cancer treatment until now.
Since treatment is very expensive, SKMCH & RC's medical technology is regularly updated. In 2018 alone, Rs. 80 million euros were spent on the purchase of four state-of-the-art machines, including a 3 Tesla MRI, a Tomosynthesis digital mammogram, a low-dose chest scanner, a Tesla MRI and a scanner of 160 cuts.
While Shaukat Khanum Hospital is committed to providing the best cancer services to all citizens, regardless of their ability to pay, it is also imperative to raise public awareness of the disease.
When marking World Cancer Day, it is important to know the following signs: wheezing or shortness of breath, chronic cough or chest pain, frequent fever or infections, difficulty swallowing, swollen lymph nodes or neck bumps, armpits or groin, excessive bruising or bleeding that does not stop, weakness and fatigue, feeling full and unable to eat, rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, loss unexplained weight, stomach upset or stomach upset, red, painful or swollen back pain, or down right etc.
Men or women, both must watch for unusual changes in their body and energy level to detect any early signs of cancer. The sooner we notice a problem, the sooner we can begin to take the necessary steps to promote healing in the body.
Adopting an anti-cancer lifestyle can help the body stay healthy and avoid developing cancer. A healthy lifestyle involves getting enough sun exposure to maintain the level of vitamin D. Reduce processed foods and sugar consumption. Research has shown that a diet rich in processed foods (especially processed meats) can increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
Exercising regularly while having a healthy diet and avoiding toxins such as smoking, "Gutka", "Chaaliya", etc., is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of cancer. Likewise, a good night's sleep is also very important for the body and helps manage daily stress much more effectively, which helps reduce the risk of cancer. Reduce exposure to environmental toxins such as pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution. Avoid fried foods and boil, poach or steam.
On a personal level, with little effort, these relatively simple risk reduction strategies can help virtually eliminate the risk of cancer and radically improve the chances of cancer recovery, if any.
The author is a consultant in medical oncology at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital and Cancer Research Center.
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