Dr. Amandeep Bijral discusses cancer as a collection of diseases marked by abnormal cell growth, risk factors, and the importance of early detection and treatment. With around 10 million diagnoses and over 6 million deaths annually in India, education and awareness about cancer, including World Cancer Day, play a crucial role in prevention and addressing myths. Effective cancer control involves lifestyle changes, routine screenings, and various treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.

1. CANCER AWARENES TALK
Dr. Amandeep Bijral

3. Everyone has their own version of CANCER

4. What is CANCER?
Cancer may regarded as a group of diseases
characterized by an
• Abnormal growth of cells
• Ability to invade tissue and even distant organs
• The eventually death of the affected patient if
the tumor has progressed beyond the stage
when it can be successfully removed
• CANCER can occur at any age , but 67 percent of
cancer deaths occur in human beings who are
above 65 years of age.

5. Lets make this simple
Normal body cells grow, divide
and die in an orderly fashion.
But cancer cells do not die and
continue to grow abnormally,
divide and spread in disorderly
fashion.

6. Cancer Cell Cycle:

7. Cancer v/s Tumour
• Tumours are sometimes cancerous but this does not mean that tumours
and cancers are synonyms (as most people think).
• A tumour can be a single lump of cells that grow uncontrollably, and a
cancer can be multiple cells that won't stop growing, but may spread
throughout the body causing it harm.
• In addition, malignant tumours are cancerous and may spread through
the body producing more malignant tumours.
• Though all lumps are not cancerous, a few of them are. So a proper
examination of lumps is very important.

8. Gender based cancer classification:

9. Indian Scenario…
• Every year 10 million people are diagnosed and more then 6 million die.
• According to the National Cancer Registry Programme of the India Council of Medical
Research (ICMR), more than 1300 Indians die every day due to cancer.
• Between 2012 and 2014, the mortality rate due to cancer increased by approximately
6%.
• In 2012 there were 478,180 deaths out of 2,934,314 reported cases.
• In 2013 there were 465,169 deaths out of 3,016,628 reported cases.
• In 2014 there were 491,598 deaths out of 2,820,179 reported cases.
• According to the Population Cancer Registry of Indian Council of Medical Research, the
incidence and mortality of cancer is highest in the north-eastern region of the country.
• Stomach cancer is the leading cause of death by cancer for the population as a whole.
• Breast cancer and lung cancer kill the most women and men respectively.
• Cancer associated with tobacco constitute 44.6% of cancer in men and 20% in female.

10. 4th February
• World Cancer Day was established on 4 February
2000 at the World Cancer Summit Against Cancer for
the New Millennium, which was held in Paris.
• It is celebrated as World Cancer Day to raise
awareness of cancer and to encourage is prevention
by early detection and timely treatment.
• The primary goal of World Cancer Day is to
significantly reduce illness and death caused by
cancer.
• It s an opportunity to rally the international
community to end the injustice of preventable
suffering from cancer.
• World Cancer Day targets misinformation, raises
awareness, and reduces stigma.

11. Themes of Cancer Day
• World Cancer Day is led by the Union of Int’l Cancer Control (UICC) to
support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008:
S.No. Year Theme
1. 2010-2011 Cancer can be prevented
2. 2012 Together let's do something
3. 2013 Cancer Myths - Get the Facts.
4. 2014 Debunk the Myths
5. 2015 Not Beyond us.
6. 2016 - 2018 “We can. I can”.
7. 2019 - 2021 “I Am and I Will”.

12. Myths and Facts:
MYTH FACTS
Antiperspirants or deodorants can cause breast
cancer.
These products contain aluminium compounds and
paraffin which get absorbed through the skin. But the
evidence suggests these products don't cause cancer.
Microwaving radiations releases harmful, cancer-
causing substances into food.
Only use microwave usable containers to warm the foods.
Radiations are safe.
People with cancer shouldn't eat sugar, since it
can cause cancer to grow faster.
All cells need sugar for energy. It can also lead to weight
gain and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, which
may increase the risk of oesophageal cancer.
Good people don't get cancer. In ancient times, illness is referred as punishment for bad
actions. Then explain how a 6-month-old or the new-born
who gets cancer? These little ones haven't been bad.
Cancer is contagious. There's no need to avoid someone who has cancer.
Though cancer itself isn't contagious, sometimes viruses
(HPVHIV,HCV) , which are contagious, can lead to the
development of cancer.

13. Risk factors of cancer
• Smoking-can cause lung cancer and leads to 1 million deaths/year.
• Tobacco- can cause cancer of mouth, larynx and pharynx.
• Alcohol- can cause esophageal, liver and rectal cancers.
• Smoked fish is related to stomach cancer.
• Lack of dietary fiber in diet can cause intestinal cancer.
• Overweight and obese persons are at risk for breast cancer.
• Chronic infections from helicobacter pylori, HBV, HCV, HPV
• Environmental-Sunlight, radiation, water and air pollution and pesticides
• Occupational risks-exposure to chemicals and stress at work.
• Radiations- ionizing and non-ionizing.
• Uncooked seafood can caused cancer of bladder.

14. Genetic factors
• There is probably a complex relationship between hereditary susceptibility
and environmental carcinogenic stimuli in the causation of cancer.
• Retinoblastoma occurs in children of the parent having same disease.
• Mongolians are more likely to develop leukemia.

15. Symptoms of Cancer
• Pain. Pain can be caused by cancer or by cancer treatment, though not all cancer is painful. Medications and other approaches can effectively treat cancer-
related pain.
• Fatigue. Fatigue in people with cancer has many causes, but it can often be managed. Fatigue associated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy treatments
is common, but it's usually temporary.
• Difficulty breathing. Cancer or cancer treatment may cause a feeling of being short of breath. Treatments may bring relief.
• Nausea. Certain cancers and cancer treatments can cause nausea. Your doctor can sometimes predict if your treatment is likely to cause nausea. Medications
and other treatments may help you prevent or decrease nausea.
• Diarrhoea or constipation. Cancer and cancer treatment can affect your bowels and cause diarrhoea or constipation.
• Weight loss. Cancer and cancer treatment may cause weight loss. Cancer steals food from normal cells and deprives them of nutrients. This is often not
affected by how many calories or what kind of food is eaten; it's difficult to treat. In most cases, using artificial nutrition through tubes into the stomach or
vein does not help change the weight loss.
• Chemical changes in your body. Cancer can upset the normal chemical balance in your body and increase your risk of serious complications. Signs and
symptoms of chemical imbalances might include excessive thirst, frequent urination, constipation and confusion.
• Brain and nervous system problems. Cancer can press on nearby nerves and cause pain and loss of function of one part of your body. Cancer that involves
the brain can cause headaches and stroke-like signs and symptoms, such as weakness on one side of your body.
• Unusual immune system reactions to cancer. In some cases the body's immune system may react to the presence of cancer by attacking healthy cells. Called
para-neoplastic syndrome, these very rare reactions can lead to a variety of signs and symptoms, such as difficulty walking and seizures.
• Cancer that spreads. As cancer advances, it may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Where cancer spreads depends on the type of cancer.
• Cancer that returns. Cancer survivors have a risk of cancer recurrence. Some cancers are more likely to recur than others. Ask your doctor about what you
can do to reduce your risk of cancer recurrence. Your doctor may devise a follow-up care plan for you after treatment. This plan may include periodic scans
and exams in the months and years after your treatment, to look for cancer recurrence.

16. 7 Warning Signs of Cancer
• Change in bowel or bladder habits.
• A sore that does not heal.
• Unusual bleeding or discharge.
• Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere.
• Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing.
• Obvious change in a wart or mole.
• Nagging cough or hoarseness.

17. Cancer control measures
• PRIMARY-
Prevention by taking all remedial measures.
Immunization plays an important role.
• SECONDARY-
Early detection by routine screening.
Early and timely treatment.

18. Prevention of cancer
• Avoid excessive sun exposure
• Eat a healthy diet
• Routine Exercise
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Stop Smoking
• Schedule cancer screening exams
• Immunizations

19. Avoid excessive sun exposure
• Harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from
the sun can increase your risk of
skin cancer.
• Limit your sun exposure by staying
in the shade, wearing protective
clothing or applying sunscreen
while going out in daytime.

20. Eat a healthy diet
• Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
• Select whole grains and lean proteins.

21. Routine Exercise
• Regular exercise is linked to a lower risk of
cancer.
• Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most
days of the week.
• If you haven't been exercising regularly, start
out slowly and work your way up to 30
minutes or longer.
• Being overweight or obese may increase
your risk of cancer.
• Work to achieve and maintain a healthy
weight through a combination of a healthy
diet and regular exercise.

22. Limit alcohol consumption
• Its better to avoid
alcoholic beverages.
• If you choose to drink
alcohol, limit yourself to
one drink a day.

23. Stop Smoking
•Smoking is linked to several types of cancer — not just lung cancer.
•Stopping now will reduce your risk of cancer in the future.
•If you smoke, quit.
•If you don't smoke, don't start.

24. Cancer Screening Tests
S.No. CANCER TEST
1 Lung cancer Low-dose helical Computed Tomography
2 Breast cancer Clinical breast exams and regular self-exams
Mammography
Breast MRI
3 Cervical cancer PAP(PAPanicolaou) Test
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) Test
4 Colorectal cancer Colonoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
High-sensitivity Faecal Occult Blood test (FOBT)
5 Liver cancer Alpha Feto-protein Blood Test
6 Ovarian cancer CA-125test
7 Prostate cancer PSA TEST
8 Endometriosis Trans-vaginal ultrasound

25. Immunizations
• Certain viruses increase your risk
of cancer.
• Immunizations may help prevent
those viruses, including hepatitis
B, which increases the risk of liver
cancer, and human
papillomavirus (HPV), which
increases the risk of cervical
cancer and other cancers.

26. Whom to consult?
• Doctors who treat cancer(Oncologists).
• Doctors who treat cancer with radiation
(Radiation Oncologists).
• Doctors who treat blood/blood borne
diseases (Haematologists).
• Doctor who remove cancer/tumour cells
or tissues(Surgeons).

27. Schedule cancer screening exams
• There are two components of early detection efforts:
• Early diagnosis is the awareness of early signs and symptoms in order
to facilitate diagnosis and treatment before the disease becomes
advanced.
• Screening is the systematic application of diagnosing in a presumably
asymptomatic population. It aims to identify individuals with an
abnormality suggestive of a specific cancer or pre-cancer and refer
them promptly for diagnosis and treatment.

28. Diagnostic Tests for cancer
• Physical exam. Lumps, changes in skin colour or enlargement of an
organ.
• Laboratory tests. Urine and Blood test
• Imaging tests. Non-invasive way imaging tests such as CT scan, Bone
Scan, MRI, PET Scan, ultrasound and X-ray, among others.
• Biopsy. A sample of cells are taken for testing in the laboratory. There
are several ways of collecting a sample.

29. Cancer Treatment
• Surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove the cancer or as much of the cancer as possible.
• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells by medications.
• Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. Radiation treatment
can come from a machine outside your body (external beam radiation), or it can be placed inside your body (brachytherapy).
• Bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow transplant is also known as a stem cell transplant. Your bone marrow is the material
inside your bones that makes blood cells. A bone marrow transplant can use your own cells or cells from a donor.
• A bone marrow transplant allows your doctor to use higher doses of chemotherapy to treat your cancer. It may also be used to
replace diseased bone marrow.
• Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy, also known as biological therapy, uses your body's immune system to fight cancer. Cancer can
survive unchecked in your body because your immune system doesn't recognize it as an intruder. Immunotherapy can help your
immune system "see" the cancer and attack it.
• Hormone therapy. Some types of cancer are fuelled by your body's hormones. Examples include breast cancer and prostate
cancer. Removing those hormones from the body or blocking their effects may cause the cancer cells to stop growing.
• Targeted drug therapy. Targeted drug treatment focuses on specific abnormalities within cancer cells that allow them to survive.
• Clinical trials. Clinical trials are studies to investigate new ways of treating cancer. Thousands of cancer clinical trials are
underway.

30. Feel free to ask for your queries, if any….