National Cancer Awareness Day: A Lifestyle Change May Be A Big Step Toward Living A Cancer-Free Life

For the last eight years, National Cancer Awareness Day has been marked on November 7 in conjunction with the anniversary of the birth of Nobel Prize–winning scientist Madame Curie.

People participate in a walkathon for raising awareness about 'cancer prevention and treatment', a day before National Cancer Awareness Day, in Kolkata ( Image Source :PTI )

Today is marked as National Cancer Awareness Day. This day is celebrated every year to draw attention to the importance of the condition and to raise awareness of its early identification, treatment, and diagnosis.

Cancer is one of the major causes of mortality in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Annually, India reports close to 1.1 million new cases of cancer, as per the ministry of health and family welfare. 

For the last eight years, National Cancer Awareness Day has been marked on November 7 in conjunction with the anniversary of the birth of Nobel Prize–winning scientist Madame Curie.

Cancer is a disease and it weighs very heavily when measured in terms of mortality, as per the data 2020 cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide or the other way to put the dismal fact is 1 in 6 deaths is related to cancer. Amongst the most, frequently diagnosed cancers are breast, lung, colon and rectum, and prostate cancers.

"If we try to divide the causes or the risk factors of cancer it can be broadly classified as modifiable and non-modifiable causes. Modifiable causes include- a sedentary lifestyle, tobacco consumption, alcohol consumption, obesity, dietary food, stress, absence of exercise, occupational hazards, etc. and the non-modifiable factors usually are the genetic factors in which the genetic makeup of the cell is at fault and is transferred through genes from one generation to other (hereditary cancers) and non-hereditary cancer which are due to sporadic changes in the cell line like exposure to UV light, ionizing radiation, etc," Dr Sunny Jain, HOD & Sr. Consultant Oncology, Marengo QRG Hospital, Faridabad stated. 

"Can cancer be prevented? How can we not have cancer the deadly disease? These are very common questions that I get to answer in my OPD / seminars etc," Dr Jain explained. 

Dr Sunny Jain emphasises the following additional factors as ways to reduce our body's chance of developing cancer:

• We all should pledge and aim to modify the modifiable risk factors. Consumption of tobacco in any and every form should be strictly prohibited. I always say "1 cigarette has the capacity to cancer from Head to toe”. Today’s youth and the young generation consider smoking a style statement or do so under peer pressure but I want to say emphatically that tobacco consumption should be prohibited in any situation.
• According to Ezzati et al- inactivity (sedentary lifestyle) and obesity cause close to 20 lakhs deaths each year due to major chronic diseases, including type II diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Cancers of the colon and breast have been linked to obesity, making physical activity a very important modification for cancer prevention.  Obesity is also related to cancer of endometrial, renal, and oesophageal cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has proposed recommendations for public health action on managing obesity. Which includes intervention at multiple levels, including health care professionals, access and ease of access to physical activity (including school, worksite, and community), and family and community interventions.
• For many decades we as a clinician and many researchers have been trying to identify a diet-cancer connection. Any diet which rich in fruits and vegetables, and has high fibre content, with limited red meat and animal fat, including a daily multivitamin with folate is considered a healthy diet. Research has shown a reduction in the chances of prostate cancer in males consuming tomatoes.  It is postulated that the carotenoid lycopene is responsible for this protective effect.
• Vitamin B- Folate helps in the synthesis, methylation, and repair of DNA. Studies have found that as folate intake increases, the risk of adenomatous polyps decreases the chances of colorectal cancer.
• Vitamin A and carotenoids have been shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer, some studies also suggest decreasing the risk of lung cancer. 
• Alcohol is considered to be an independent carcinogen as it acts as a solvent (causing carcinogens to penetrate the mucosa), an irritant (causing increased cell turnover), and also may be a transporter (leading carcinogens to the basal layer of the mucosa). Alcohol consumption is primarily linked to oesophageal and oral cancer, and even moderate intake is associated with an increased risk of breast and colorectal cancer.

At last, Dr Jain requested all the readers to play their cards very wisely. "Life is short and does not waste it on smoking, and drinking with unhealthy dietary habits and habitat. Cancer cases are on the surge primarily to increased incidence due to all the factors known and genetic predispositions. I also strongly believe the diagnostics in the country and world are getting better thereby we have more detection of the cases which are being reported rather than the patients succumbing to the disease without being diagnosed," the doctor said.