At a CME conducted on April 12, the Director of Medical Oncology, Ivy Hospital mentioned that cancer is rapidly spreading in India and around 14 lakh new cases are being diagnosed every year.

Expressing concern over the increasing number of cancer patients in the country, Dr. Rajeshwar Singh, Director, Medical Oncology at Ivy Hospital said that cancer is increasing rapidly in India, with 14 lakh new cases every year. Incidents of breast cancer is also rising rapidly and it is the most prevalent form of cancer among women, he said. Speaking about preventive measures and screening of cancer, he said 30 to 40 percent of cancers are preventable. At the same time if detected early it can be cured completely, so both prevention and screening test are important in our fight against cancer, he said.

As many as 60 doctors participated in a continue medical education (CME) on April 12. The CME was organized by Ivy Hospital, Mohali in association with Solan Doctors Association. Talking about prevention, he said that for breast cancer the screening should be done in all women starting at age 40 years. One should undergo screening every two years and breast cancer screening with mammography be continued as long as a woman has a life expectancy of at least 10 years.

Cervical cancer screening is recommended for women between 21 and 65 years of age. For women aged 21-29 years, Pap smear screening is recommended after every three years. For Colorectal cancer screening is recommend at an age of 50 years. This screening is continued until the age of 75-85 years. For lung cancer, an annual screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) for patients, if they are in good health said Brig (Dr.) Singh adding prostate cancer screening should begin at age 50 in average-risk men.

Dr Amit Gupta, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology spoke on ‘Atrial Fibrillation and Anticoagulants- challenges in management for primary physician. He said that A-fib is an irregular heartbeat. Patients typically feel it as fluttering sensation or a rapid heart rate or a thumping feeling in the chest, alongside an irregular pulse. Other symptoms could include, tiredness, dizziness or fainting, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling weak, particularly after exercise. To prevent it, one should reduce weight, take proper diet, control BP, stop alcohol and smoking, aerobic exercise; avoid caffeine, adopting healthy life style and practicing yoga, added Dr Amit.