LAHORE: There is a dire need for international cooperation to reduce the global burden of cancer, that has become the second leading cause of death worldwide, and by adopting a comprehensive strategy, 30pc-50pc of the disease case can be prevented.

These views were expressed by the General Cadre Doctors Association’s Punjab chapter president and public health consultant Dr Masood Shaikh, while addressing a seminar at City Hospital here on Saturday.

Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Sheikh said 9.6 million people annually died of cancer alone worldwide, while an average of 0.4m children were diagnosed with cancer every year, and more than $116 billion were spent on treatment.

He said that globally 19.3m cancer cases were being diagnosed annually. If not controlled, he warned, the number of such cases could rise to 32m in 2040.

He said among men lung cancer had become a major cause of death, while in women it was breast cancer. He said cancer could also appear in the form of a tumors, but not all tumors were cancerous.

Dr Sheikh said cancer did not effect the patients physically only, but also impacted their psychology and economy.

He said some cancers were also hereditary and families having such cases should be very careful.

He added that to prevent cancer, it was very important to prevent or change the factors that caused the disease. For example, he said, avoiding smoking, maintaining a reasonable weight, consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, avoiding alcohol consumption, vaccination against certain viruses, and being careful in getting X-rays, could help reduce incidence of the disease.

Dr Muhammad Shahbaz added that during the four hours after smoking a cigarette, chemical compounds were released from the mouth, which could not only affect the smoker, but also those in his surrounding.

Dr Asad Abbas said maintaining a healthy weight was good, because when the weight exceeded a certain limit, many hormones in the body lose their effect. He said the antioxidants in fresh fruits and vegetables destroyed cancer cells and reduced the disease.

Dr Rana Rafiqe stressed the need for daily exercise, saying it improves blood flow in every part of the body and also prevents cancer. He warned against alcohol consumption saying it could cause cancer in many organs, including the liver, advising vaccination to prevent hepatitis B and HPV vaccination for women.

He also advised cautious use of X-rays to avoid harm, prescribing use of lead shields during the process to save other parts of the boy from its adverse effects. All kinds of smoke, domestic, as well as, industrial should be avoided, because it contained cancer-causing chemicals.

Dr Munir Ghauri talked about various cancer treatment techniques, including surgical removal of the cancerous tumour, chemotherapy (treatment with drugs), and radiotherapy (treatment with radiation). He said to treat cancer, all the three methods were usually used in combination.

A cancer patient could lead a good life if treated on time and by undergoing medical review regularly, he said.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2023