On the eve of World Cancer Day, global cancer experts have called for measures for early detection to improve patient survival.
A majority of cancers can be managed/cured if detected early, say experts. In 2018, of the more than 18 million new cancer cases diagnosed worldwide, nearly five million cases of breast, cervical, colorectal, and oral cancers could have been treated more effectively had they been detected earlier.
In India, a study among rural women with cervical cancer found the five-year survival rate to be 9% when cancer was diagnosed at stage 4. The five-year survival rate soared to 78% when the cancer was diagnosed at stage 1.
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Early diagnosis also reduces the cost of treatment by two to four times compared to when the cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage. In the U.S., the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with cervical cancer at the advanced stage is just 15%, compared to 93% when the cancer has not spread.
Experiences shared
On Sunday, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), along with Cancer Institute, Adyar, conducted an event in which cancer survivors shared their experiences at a rally held on Elliott’s Beach, Besant Nagar.
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Participants included healthcare providers, cancer survivors and non-governmental organisations. Actor Gautami Tadimalla, founder of Life Again Foundation and a cancer survivor, and V. Shanta, chairman of Cancer Institute, participated.