With a sharp increase in the number of cases of women suffering from cancer, doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said that screening guidelines for breast and cervical cancer are likely to be finalised by February.
“Along with the ministry of health and family welfare guidelines are being formed, which will focus on single-visit approach or one-time management at the lowest levels. Simple cases like early lesions would be treated by cryotherapy, while the advanced cases will be referred to others,” said Neerja Bhatla, additional Professor at department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, AIIMS.
She further said that Tamil Nadu has trained Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) nurses for screening of cervical cancer to reach out to the district level and the villages. Universal coverage of breast cancer screening through clinical examination and cervical cancer screening by VIA method will be stressed in the new guidelines.
“Cervical cancer can be due to having sex with multiple patterns, genetic factors, long term stress, becoming pregnant at young age and such,” said Neerja Bhatla.
According to the recent data, 1,23,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in India in 2012. Also, that year 67,000 women died due to cervical cancer. Breast cancer, which is the most ‘common’ cancer constituting 25 percent of all cancer types has increased by 20 percent in 2012.
“Survival rate of people suffering from breast cancer can be increased if detected at an early stage. Besides exposure to radiations, alcohol use, smoking, obesity increases the risk of breast cancer,” said P K Julka, Director and Professor of the department of radiotherapy and oncology, AIIMS.
“Along with the ministry of health and family welfare guidelines are being formed, which will focus on single-visit approach or one-time management at the lowest levels. Simple cases like early lesions would be treated by cryotherapy, while the advanced cases will be referred to others,” said Neerja Bhatla, additional Professor at department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, AIIMS.
She further said that Tamil Nadu has trained Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) nurses for screening of cervical cancer to reach out to the district level and the villages. Universal coverage of breast cancer screening through clinical examination and cervical cancer screening by VIA method will be stressed in the new guidelines.
“Cervical cancer can be due to having sex with multiple patterns, genetic factors, long term stress, becoming pregnant at young age and such,” said Neerja Bhatla.
According to the recent data, 1,23,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in India in 2012. Also, that year 67,000 women died due to cervical cancer. Breast cancer, which is the most ‘common’ cancer constituting 25 percent of all cancer types has increased by 20 percent in 2012.
“Survival rate of people suffering from breast cancer can be increased if detected at an early stage. Besides exposure to radiations, alcohol use, smoking, obesity increases the risk of breast cancer,” said P K Julka, Director and Professor of the department of radiotherapy and oncology, AIIMS.