For more Info visit www.healthlibrary.com "Understanding Facts and Myths About Cancer And Its Cure" by Dr. Sunita Polampalli held on 6th May 2016. Cancer is considered as most dreadful disease. Incidence of cancer has been rising in recent times. Number of reasons like harmful environment, irregular lifestyle & bad inherited genes contribute to it. It causes lot of emotional stress & anxiety, not only to patients but also to family & friends. In order to fight cancer, it is essential to understand why cancer occurs & how it can be cured with a more holistic approach.

1. DR SUNITA POLAMPALLI, MD Path
Director
SNP Molecular Genetics Diagnostic & Research Centre
Email id: drsunitap@gmail.com
Phn no: +919004674321

2. What does the
word cancer
mean to you?

3.  DISBELIEF
 PANIC
 UNCURABLE DISEASE
 DEPRESSION
 GRIEF
 FEAR OF DEATH
 FINANCIAL STRESS
 EMOTIONAL STRESS

4. “in the popular
imagination cancer
equals death”
(Susan Sontag,1977)
“Cancer forces us to
confront our lack of
control over our own
or others death”
Kleinman (1988)

5. What is Cancer ??

6. MUTATION IN ONE GENE OR MULTIPLE GENES
Which leads to ……
 Uncontrolled cell growth
 Problem in removing damaged cells – (defective
apoptosis)

9. Each cell has 23 pairs of
chromosomes +
2 sex chromosomes (X/Y)
Male- 46 + X,Y
Female- 46 + X,X

10. Pearls on string

11. Bunch or cluster of nucleic acid sequences -
A=T,G=C
Genes are store house of all cellular information
– like a “Janampatri of you life”
Genes carry information/codes in them to carry
out various activities or functions of the cells.

12. Each codon made of 3 nucleic acids– ATG, TGC, etc

13. COMPUTER CODING

14. GENETIC CODING

15. Change or defect in normal genetic (amino
acid) sequence which leads to formation of new
proteins with new functions which may be
beneficial or harmful to normal functioning of
cells.

17.  Just like by adding, deleting or substituting one letter,
the expression of word changes to new word
 Similarly by adding, deleting or substituting one amino
acid, the expression of protein changes to new proteins

19.  Our body is subjected to several
mutations during the process of formation
of new cells – CELL CYCLE.

21.  Help to destroy these mutated or damaged
cells.

22.  Regulatory genes of cell cycle
 DNA Repair mechanism
 Immunity

29.  Imbalance immune response
 Increased exposure to Free radicals
 Defective DNA repair mechanism
 Accumulation of mutations or
mutated genes which leads to
imbalanced cellular functions

30. Poor nutrition
Stress
Infections

39.  There is continuous turn over of cells in our body daily –
old cells die and new cells born -CELL CYCLE
 Number of mutations take place during this cellular turn
over.
 Balanced immunity , DNA repair mechanism along with
tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes helps to
maintain cell cycle in proper process and destroy
mutated cells.
 But sometimes because of stress and decreased
immune functions, mutations get accumulated and can
lead to cancer.

41.  Irregular lifestyle (most neglected etiology):
stress, sedentary & tech savy lifestyle
 Improper diet: junk food, diet rich in saturated
fats, refined sugars, vitamins(Vit D) deficiency
 Harmful chemicals: pesticides, food
additives/preservatives, pollutants (smoke,
plastic,), cosmetics
 Addictions: smoking (nicotene), ghutka, pan
masala, heavy alcohol consumption, etc

42.  Ionising Radiation: X’rays , gamma rays, TV &
mobile towers
 (cell phones, electric appliances – not so much
of a threat)
 Occupational hazards : asbestos, coal tar,
benzene, arsenic, etc, exposure to radiation
 Infections: HPV (cervical cancer), H.Pylori
(stomach cancer), HBV (liver cancer), EBV
(Blood cancer-lymphoma) etc

44. Benign – e.g. polyps, fibroids
 Not always due to genetic mutations but due to
functional / physiological reasons
 Controlled over growth of cells
 localized
 curable
Malignant – e.g cancers
 Due to genetic mutations
 Uncontrolled over growth of cells
 spreads to other organs
 difficult to cure

45.  Is cancer a inheritable disease? Sporadic
? contagious disease?

46.  Sporadic – occurrence by chance by external etiology
- 70 to 80%
 Hereditary – cancer genes inherited from one of the
parents – 15 – 20%

47.  Blood cancers
 Lung cancer
 Stomach cancer
 Brain cancer
 Bone cancer
 Soft tissue cancer (muscle)
 Cancer in head & neck part (tongue, jaws, etc)
 Urinary bladder cancer
 Kidney cancer
 Thyroid cancer
 Prostate cancer

49.  70-80% cancers are sporadic occurring because of
different kind of stress.
 15 – 20% are hereditary because of inherited genes
from parents.
 Patients with family history of cancer are at high risk
of developing cancer with increasing age

50. Symptoms depend on site of cancer
General symptoms –
fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, weakness,
jaundice
Specific symptoms –
 Unexplained Blood in cough (hemoptysis), blood
in urine (hematuria), blood in stools
 Lump in abdomen or any part of body,
 Cough,Diarrhoea, Ulcer present for long duration
and not getting cured.

51. Pathological tests (study of cancer related
markers in blood )
 Blood test for blood cell count
 Liver & kidney function tests
 Tumor marker studies
Radiological tests (study of size, shape &
location of lump in body)
 X’ray, Ultra-sonography
 CT Scan, MRI
 Endoscopy, colonoscopy

52. Biopsy tests (study of cells in tumor tissue)
 Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)
 Histopathology examination of excised tumor/lump
Genetic tests (study of defective chromosomes or
mutated genes in tumor tissue) – gaining
importance as more cancer genes identified
 Chromosomes - Cytogenetics (karyotyping, FISH)
 DNA or genes – Molecular Genetics (PCR,
Sequencing)

57.  Pay attention to your symptoms and do not
ignore them if they are sustaining for long time
inspite of antibiotic or other treatment.
 Get a thorough check up done.
 Early detection of cancer is very important for
better cure.
 Regular health check ups important especially
after age of 40yrs

58.  People with family history of cancer need to get
genetic testing done for those cancers.
 If test comes positive ..not to panic. Test only tells
about susceptibility of cancer but does not confirm
that u have or will have cancer.
 Precautionary measures can be taken in such
cases to prevent cancer.

59.  Chemotherapy
 Radiation therapy
 Targeted therapy (monoclonal antibodies)
 Immuno therapy (modified immune cells)
– under research and clinical trials

63.  Cytotoxic..kills cancer as well as normal cells.
 This decreases immunity of patients.
 Because of decreased immunity patient is susceptible
to infections.
 Tolerance not good..patient becomes non complaint.
 Response to treatment not good – re occurance
possible.

65.  With newer genetic techniques, more and more cancer
genes identified.
 Drugs manufactured to target these specific cancer
genes in cancer cells.
 These specific drugs destroy only specific cancer cells
and does not kill normal cells.
 This prevents toxic side effects and helps to maintain
immunity.
 Tolerance to such therapy is good with good response.

66.  Easily available & affordable
 Highly cytotoxic and many side effects.
 Patient compliance not good.
 Not targeting specific cancer genes…cancer
cells might survive even after treatment and can
cause re occurance of disease.

67.  Not cytotoxic and patient compliance is good.
 Targeting specific cancer genes & kills all
cancer cells..so chances of re-occurance is
rare.
 Treatment is costly
 Knowledge of all cancer genes important in
order to detect these genes and design a
drug for them…difficult task.

69. Diet
Yoga
Meditation
Exercise
Mindful activities
Counseling

71.  Proteins
 Fibre
 Vitamins
 Anti oxidants
 Minerals
In cancer & during treatment- cells are
damaged which decreases immunity.
Well balanced diet very important.

73. Pranayam or simple
yoga techniques
Very helpful
Even meditation alone
can reduce stress and
pain.

74.  Activates dopamine & serotonin, natural pain
relievers
 Improves oxygenation of organs

 Provides anti oxidants to combat free radicals
 Improves immunity

75. Engaging patients in
activities of their
interest.
Do not leave them
alone !!!
Do not let them have
any negative thoughts.

76.  Counseling centres – counsel patients & their
family to allay fear of cancer, proper treatment
guidance.
 Emotional support - Family members and friends
have to provide all kind of emotional support to
the patient to help fight the disease.
 Rehabilitation centres: Patients are helped to
adopt and revive healthy lifestyle and continue to
live their lives positively.

77.  Group therapies – patients can gain insight about
each other’s conditions. This will prevent patients
from being isolated and give them the feeling that
they are not the only unfortunate ones.
 Testimonies of cancer survivals to boost moral of
other patients
 Holistic approach – proper nutrition guide, yoga,
mediation, mindful activities.

78.  Very effective to cure internal physical disease
as well as psychological problems.
 Better cure and survival rate, improving
overall patient’s quality of life.

80.  Many cancers are now completely cured like
certain blood cancers, breast cancers, gastro
intestinal and genito-urinary cancers.
 Some cancers are lethal like lung cancer, liver
cancer, pancreatic cancer, few of the blood and
brain cancers.

81.  Do not believe in cancer survival statistics.
 Treatment response varies from patient to
patient.
 Believe on your own body and in
yourself.
 Doctors only treat but…
 You are your own HEALER !

84.  With the ever advancing technology , man has made lot
of progress.
 But we are paying a big cost for it.
 We are becoming more dependant on machines and
robots.
 Destroying our environment and isolating ourselves
from nature.
 We cannot avoid harmful radiation and chemicals in our
day to day lives.
 But we can constrain it by adopting a healthy & holistic
lifestyle.

86. Cancer related information…
http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer