National Cancer Awareness Day

November 7, 2020

National Cancer Awareness day is celebrated in the country on 7^th November, and the main reason for this day is to spread awareness about cancer prevention and its early detection. The foundation of this program was laid in 1975 to provide cancer treatment facilities all over the country. The date 7^th November is chosen to pay homage to Madam Curie and her contribution to science and the world, she fought against cancer and discovered Radium and Polonium. A total of 1.1 million cases of cancer are annually reported in India out of which 2/3^rd are detected at an early stage. If cancer is detected early, then the chances of survival of the patients increase a lot and that’s what the cancer awareness day is all about. 

Then On Cancer awareness day, people are encouraged to report to the government hospitals and municipal clinics to get free testing done. The aim behind it is to make people aware and to get themselves tested and if any sign of cancer is there then that can be treated. The early detection of cancer and its symptoms can decrease the cost of treatment, the cost would be a fraction of the total cost of an advanced stage cancer treatment. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, minister of health and family welfare announced the date of cancer awareness day on 7^th November 2014, to generate awareness about early detection of the disease and to avoid cancer-causing lifestyle. 

Symptoms of Cancer

The symptoms of cancer are not easily identifiable, the reason behind this is that there are no specific symptoms of cancer and the only way to detect it is to get a proper screening done in time. If you do a simple Google search then you would get many symptoms of cancer, but before totally believing that, it is necessary to consult a doctor and then come to any type of conclusion. Cancer has many types and every type has different symptoms and so there is no proper way to know except for proper screening. However, some symptoms can be linked to cancer and if you face any of it, then it is time to visit a doctor. Let’s have a look at some of these symptoms below. 

• Blood in Saliva and continuous coughing. 
• Diarrhea and other bowel-related problems. 
• Low Blood count. 
• Lump in Breasts. 
• Lump in testicles. 
• Urination Issues and Blood in stool. 

Types of Cancer

Cancer has many types and it can target any part of the human body, it is caused when the cells in our body spread faster than they are supposed to and affect its surrounding tissues. Although there are many types of cancer, here we will point out some major types of it. 

1. Carcinoma: This type of cancer is the most common one and it is developed in the skin, breasts, lungs, pancreas, and other organs. 
2. Sarcoma: Originates in the connective tissues of the body like blood vessels, bone, cartilage, fat, and muscle. This type of cancer is not very common. 
3. Lymphoma: Cancer of lymphocytes.
4. Leukemia: This cancer can be called blood cancer as it affects the blood. 
5. Melanoma: This type of cancer affects our skin and arises in skin pigment cells. 

Types of Cancer Treatment

Cancer at an early stage can be treated easily and the cost of the treatment is affordable too. There are many cancer treatments available and each has a different approach, all depending on the type of cancer, the location where it affects the body, and the stage of cancer too. Some treatments focus on a particular tumor at a particular part of the body whereas some treatments focus on the entire body, the most common types of cancer treatments are given below. 

• Immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation and hormone therapy
• Stem cell transplant
• Surgery 
• Precision medicine
• Targeted therapy 

Prevention of Cancer

The best way to deal with cancer is to prevent it from ever happening and this could be done by following the proper prevention techniques. Regular screening is the most important step as it is the only way to detect any traces of cancer. There are many ways to prevent cancer which includes a healthy lifestyle and reducing the consumption of toxic products such as alcohol and smoking. Given below, are some of the best and proven ways to prevent cancer. 

Written By: Swapnil Bisht
Swapnil believes words are souveniers. Grumpy when woken from a slumber. Can be found quoting Bob Dylan or feeding dogs.