The earliest signs of some cancers, when abnormal cells have not spread beyond the place of origin, can be screened by routinely available tests, but a lack of awareness makes these inaccessible for many, doctors said.
If diagnosed early, the treatment outcome in such cases is much better than in later stages, the doctors said.
Cancer cases in India are rising, with over 15 lakh new diagnoses reported in 2024. Still, doctors said a majority of cancer cases are detected only in an advanced stage.
Cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, lungs and cervix are among those that can be detected at stage zero, or carcinoma in situ.
The tests that can detect stage zero cancer — mammography for breast, a Pap smear test for the cervix, a low-dose CT scan for the lungs and a colonoscopy for the colon or rectum — are commonly available.
“These tests, if done at a regular interval from the age of 40 years, can improve the detection rate of these pre-malignant conditions, and we can have a cure before the patient lands up with an advanced cancer,” said Joydeep Ghosh, senior consultant, medical oncology, Apollo Cancer Centre, Calcutta.
The centre has launched a campaign to drive greater awareness around stage zero cancer detection.
Stage zero is called non-invasive because the cancer cells have not invaded, or spread, beyond the original site (in situ) of the cancerous growth, doctors said at the launch.
“It is highly treatable if detected early. A surgery is the only treatment that several patients have needed. The treatment cost goes down. You do not need chemo or radiation,” said Supratim Bhattacharyya, consultant, surgical oncology, at the centre.
Screening guidelines include
Any woman above 40 should get screened for breast cancer
Anyone above 40 and with a significantly high-risk family history should get screened for colorectal cancer
People above 50 with a long history of smoking should get tested for lung cancer
Any woman of reproductive age can get screened for cervical cancer.
“These screening tests, if done at a regular interval, based on the standard guidelines, can improve the detection rate of these pre-malignant conditions, and we can have a cure before the patient ends up with an advanced cancer. The prognosis is much better. Everybody should be aware of these screening which is very commonly available in most of the health care centres,” Bhattacharyya said.
The Apollo initiative celebrates individuals who took timely action through awareness, access and prompt care. “Though each cancer is unique, these survivors are united by early diagnosis. Their collective journeys underscore the importance of catching cancer early: it can save lives,” said a spokesperson for the hospital.
Mili Mondal, one such survivor, had a small ulcer in her tongue. The 47-year-old homemaker from Behala recently underwent surgery at the hospital.
“A biopsy revealed a carcinoma in situ. Had it been diagnosed in an advanced stage, we would have had to remove lymph nodes in the neck along with a surgery of the tongue. But in this case, we did a partial glossectomy (a surgical procedure that removes a portion of the tongue). She recovered quickly and is doing fine now,” said Bhattacharyya.
