As India strides into the 21st century, the spectrum of disease has changed from mainly infectious diseases to more chronic diseases (such as heart disease & diabetes), while cancer has assumed epidemic-like proportions. It is due partly to a lack of awareness of health promotion & disease prevention as well as a lack of amenities for early diagnosis and treatment.

Types Of Cancer

Cancer refers to an abnormal & unregulated growth of tissue, which may invade surrounding typical structures as well as spread to sites distant from that of origin. Cancers are broadly of 3 types:

Carcinomas (70%): arise in membranes (coverings) and glands/ ducts of glands; most typical type of cancer; usually spreads to neighbouring sites, then to distant sites; important sites include head-neck, lung, prostate, breast, oesophagus, colorectum & anus
Sarcomas (10-20%): arises from bone/muscle/nerve; less common; spreads to distant sites early
Blood cancers: Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma

Common Cancers

The most typical cancers worldwide in men are Lung Cancer & Prostate Cancer, and in women, are Breast Cancer and Lung Cancer. However, in India, the most typical cancers in men are Head-Neck cancers (especially Oral cancers in the Eastern part of the country). In contrast, in women, the most typical cancer is Uterine cervical cancer.

Ironically, both of these are preventable diseases since head-neck cancers are almost always related to the use of tobacco. In contrast, cervical cancer arises from chronic infection by the Human Papilloma Virus.

Symptoms Of Common Cancers: What To Watch Out For

The causes of cervical cancer can be attributed to the genetic mutations that occur in the healthy cells of the cervical tissue. Normal cells multiply, grow, and die at a specific rate. Mutations in the DNA change the fundamental life cycle of the cervical cells, which accumulate over time to form a mass known as a cancerous tumour.