Modern lifestyle, food habits, and lack of exercise does not just create an unhealthy lifestyle, it can also be the cause of cancer.
Colorectal cancer is emerging as a growing public health concern in India, with incidences steadily rising due to changing lifestyles, unhealthy dietary habits, obesity, and low awareness about gut health.
March is colorectal cancer awareness month. Press Club Kolkata, on March 17, hosted a conference with Sudeep Das, MBBS, MD (Radiation oncology), Sanchayan Mandal, MBBS, DNB (Medical oncology), and Poulami Basu, MBBS, MD (Radiation oncology) on the latest data on colorectal cancer research on 14 major cities in India.
According to the Global Cancer Observatory of the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, colorectal cancer ranks among the top cancers in India, with nearly 65,000 new cases and over 38,000 deaths reported annually, placing it among the top-five most common cancers in the country.
Despite being largely preventable and treatable when detected early, many cases are diagnosed at advanced stages due to poor awareness and limited screening practices.
More than 10,000 responders from Kolkata were surveyed to gauge the awareness level. Almost 92 per cent people are unaware of the symptoms of early stages of colon cancer.
“Blood with bowel movements, constipation, to irregular bowel movements, can all be signs of early onset of colon cancer if they persist for two weeks. These are the earliest symptoms, and should be consulted with a doctor,” said Das.
“A total of 10,190 responses were collected, almost equally distributed between male and female. More than 80% of people self-medicate for issues like acidity, indigestion or constipation instead of consulting a doctor,” said Basu.
The doctors confirmed that people do not consult an expert from social stigma, fear of detection, and general ignorance. “But stage one colon cancer is 90 per cent curable. It is only in stage four that the chances become very slim,” added Basu.
“Somewhere around 65,000 new colorectal cancer patients are diagnosed every year. Out of which, every year, there are around 38,000 deaths. It is more than a 50 per cent mortality rate. This is treatable, and preventable if detected early,” said Mandal.
Mandal warned it is not just genetic tendencies, but also a result of a sedentary lifestyle.
“Most of our cancer patients get diagnosed in stage 3 and stage 4. In stage 1, the chance of cure is 90%. When you are at stage 4, then the chance of cure will be only 10%. So, it drastically drops in a matter of months,” added Mandal.