The fatality of the disease and its commoness has made it synonymous with pain. But that has not, by any means, contributed to increasing awareness about it. Cancer, was and still remains to be one of the most dreaded, yet common disease in India to the extent that it had once acquired status of an epidemic in India.

To mark World Cancer Day, and to increase awareness of cancer in rural women, a cancer screening camp was recently organised at BAIF, Urulikanchan.

Over the last six decades, the country has made significant progress in all walks and breakthrough developments in medical sciences of life has lead to longer life expectancy. This has given freedom to opt for easy and unhealthy lifestyle. Extensive use of tobacco in various forms complemented with an unhealthy lifestyle has lead to an explosive increase in cancer incidence.

One of the most common problems is that majority of cancer cases in India are brought to the notice of the doctor quite late and are thus advanced at presentation. The reason behind the grim situation is the unawareness, negligence and poor availability of preventive services to the masses. The worst sufferers and a disadvantaged section of our society are women. While cervix cancer is number one killer in rural parts of the country, breast cancer is a biggest threat for urban women. "Almost 70 per cent of the cases that we confront are already on the advanced stage where cure becomes almost impossible. If these cancers are detected early by mass screening, it can be cured with medicine and therapies," says Dr Padmaj Kulkarni, renowned cancer specialist from Noble Hospital. "Tests like breast examination and mammography and PAP smear can help finding these cancers at a stage when they can be easily cured," adds he.

BAIF Development Research Foundation will also be training women volunteers to create awareness about cancer screening in the society, under their plan of cancer screening of over 3500 women, over a period of one year. The cancer screening services will be provided free of cost by Noble Hospital.