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ShareAhmedabad: As many as 40,000 new cases of cancer are reported every year in Gujarat and nearly 50 per cent of the victims are women, suffering either from breast cancer or cervical cancer. According to medical experts, such cases are on the rise because a number of women feel shy about letting their spouse and family members know about these problems, while many others are simply ignorant.
Medical experts have therefore suggested that women open up and share their problems with their family members so that the disease can be identified at an early stage.
Dr Shilin Shukla, deputy director, Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute (GCRI), said "We come across many women, even the urban women in the city, who feel shy talking about their physical problems. They get so conscious talking about their sexual parts that they decide to avoiding it all together."
Explaining further, Shukla said that of all the women suffering from cancer in the state around 54% are the victim of breast and cervical cancer, while 17% are because of tobacco consumption. Presently, there are around 12 lakh women in Gujarat availing treatment for cancer.For many women, money is not an issue, but ignorance couple with the fear of being diagnosed positive for cancer prevents them from going for a test.
Dr Chirag Shah, a city-based oncologist said, "Based on our observation, we have concluded that in most cases, women not wanting to go for test has got nothing to do with money. Even educated women feel scared of getting diagnosed, but not many understand that early detection can save their lives."
There is a need to organise more awareness programmes both in rural and urban areas to check the growth of cancer. Also, early detection can save many from undergoing operations and surgeries, added Shah.
According to the government of India statistics, rural Ahmedabad adds around 800 new cases of cancer every year, whereas urban areas account for around 600 cases. The GCRI will organise an awareness workshop on Cancer Day, which is on November 7.
Women from various walks of life, leaders, doctors, nursing students, school teachers, college students, among others, will take part and strive to spread awareness among people.
