‘Younger generation more prone to cancer now’

Due to rapid changes in our lifestyle doctors in the city have observed an alarming and disturbing rise in the number of cancer affected patients, especially among the younger generation. On World Cancer Day, a reading of the statistics will verify the
doctors' claim.

Says Dr Bhavesh Parekh, assistant professor at the Gujarat Cancer Research Institute (GCRI): "While males are affected with head, neck and oral cancers, females are affected by cervical and breast. Besides obesity, hypertension and diabetes, stress has emerged as the causative reason for it in the younger lot", Dr Parekh said.

In the last three years, Dr Parekh said that cases of breast cancer have increased from 20% to 40%. In the cases of lung and oral cancers, there is a significant increase, from 10% to 15% respectively in younger people. In the case of total populace, the rise is 30% to 40% respectively.

"Around 66% of cancer patients we treat are suffering because of tobacco habits. Unfortunately, after they get treated for the first time, they are pushed to repeating their habits hence the repeater cancer patients becomes a concern", Dr Kinnar Shah, oncologist at Shalby explained.

According to Dr Shah, the effects and increased risks of cancer come into the picture even after a person has quit the habit and this could be as long as 15 years. Hence, a periodic health check and proper steps have to be taken when it comes to quitting.

He continues, "The age groups of 20-30-40 years are what disturb the medical fraternity. However, other cancers that affect this group is breast, ovarian and colo-rectal cancers and a significant cause is obesity. But patients can detect it at an early age by having chest X-ray (lung cancer), sonography of abdomen and pelvis (uterine and ovarian cancers), mammogram (breast cancer) and a pep test (cervical cancer) every six months to a year."

Dr Somesh Chandra, director of oncology at Sterling Hospital, says, "If a cumulative of cancer patients is taken then both male and female are seen affected by head and neck cancer, which is caused due to tobacco, chewing tobacco with beetle nut and other products with carcinogenic chemicals. Breast cancer continues to rise in urban women and cervical in the rural. However, of late we have also seen a sort of rise in cancer of the ovaries." Dr Chandra says that the 30-40 age group is the 'most risk' while the 20s age group is also getting affected, which is
disturbing.

Dr Bhavesh Parekh said that for the first time in Gujarat, a rally of doctors and other medicos of the medical fraternity from GCRI to Sardar Smarak Bhavan is being organised on World Cancer Day, which falls on February 4. This rally consists of alumni members of GCRI from 1980-2010.