A woman dies of cervical cancer every eight minutes in India. Also one out of every two women diagnosed with breast cancer succumb to death in the country as per statistics revealed by India against cancer.
The data from the ICMR-NCDIR National Cancer Registry Program also reveals that the annual number of cancer patients in our country reached 14 lakh in 2020, and if the current trend continues, the number of cancer patients in India will touch 15.7 lakh in 2025. Cancer remains one of the most dreaded diseases and February 4 is observed as World Cancer Day to raise awareness about it.
According to Dr Pramod Kumar Julka, Principal Director, Medical Oncology Department at Max Institute of Cancer Care, cancer is a disease related to lifestyle, food behaviour and virus. He said only primary and secondary prevention can stop the growing number of cancer patients in the country.
Dr Julka is of the opinion that authorities need to ban cancer-causing products under primary prevention. Simultaneously, through secondary prevention, we can detect cancer at an early stage and treat it with the help of symptoms visible in our bodies.
Here are the common warning signs of different cancers
Breast cancer
Women between the age of 20 and 30 should self-examine their breasts. If there is a lump in the breast that isn’t painful or blood or water is coming out of the nipple, it could be a sign of breast cancer.
Some other symptoms of breast cancer include a difference in the size of both breasts, swelling in breasts, or a lump in the throat or armpit.
Uterine cancer
Uterine cancer is caused by a virus and involves symptoms such as bleeding after intercourse, discharge of dirty water, sudden bleeding between two periods and pain in the lower abdomen.
Cervical cancer
Some of the primary symptoms of Cervical cancer include vaginal bleeding during sex, abnormal bleeding, abdominal pain and vaginal discharge with a strong odour. The early signs of cervical cancer include burning or pain while urination
Oral cancer
A blister in the mouth that is not healing is a primary sign of oral cancer. You should also consult your doctor if there are white or red spots in the inner part of your lips, cheeks and gums that bleed constantly.
Other symptoms of oral cancer include difficulty speaking, chewing, swallowing, or a sudden change in your voice.
The uncontrolled growth of cells causes a tumour to form in lung cancer. Coughing up blood, chest pain, hoarseness, persistent headache, and unexplained weight loss are some of the first symptoms. Treatment is possible if lung cancer is detected early.
(Disclaimer: The health tips shared in this article are based on common practices and general knowledge. Readers are advised to consult a doctor before following them at home.)
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