HYDERABAD: Experts fear that if the current trends continue the cancer related deaths will increase from currently 8.2 million per year to 13 million a year in the next 13 years.
Dr. Naeem Ahmad Laghari, Director, Nuclear Institute of Medicine & Radiotherapy (NIMRA) Jamshoro while addressing the participants of an event organized to mark “World Cancer Day” said that the latest Cancer statistics from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer predict that if current trends continue, the global burden of new cancer cases will surge from 14.1 to 21.7 million by the year 2030,
“Cancer Awareness Walk” and Seminar was arranged in collaboration with Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro.
He added that for developing countries, the situation often goes beyond addressing behavioral change, with many countries facing a ‘double burden’ of exposures, the most common of which is cancer causing infections. Chronic infections are estimated to cause approximately 16% of all cancers globally. In case of developing countries the rate is almost 23%. Several of the most common cancers in developing countries such as liver, cervical and stomach cancers are associated with chronic infections, he added.
“Exposure to a wide range of environmental causes in our personal and professional lives, including exposure to indoor air pollution, radiation and excessive sunlight are also major preventable causes of cancer”, Dr. Naeem Ahmad Laghari said.
He informed that tobacco kills almost 6 million people a year, an average of one person every six seconds. By 2020 this number is set to increase to 7.5 million, which would mean that tobacco use accounts for one in ten of all deaths worldwide. “Tobacco use, particularly smoking, is the single biggest cause of cancer in the world, responsible for more than a quarter of all cancer deaths, including cancers of the lung (71% of lung cancers are attributed to tobacco use), mouth, throat, nose and sinuses, liver, pancreas, stomach, cervix, breast, bowel, kidney and bladder. It also causes a wide range of other diseases including 10% of cardiovascular disease such as heart disease and stroke, 42% of chronic chest and lung illnesses and gangrene. It is associated with 23% of new tuberculosis cases”, he cautioned.
Pro Vice Chancellor LUMHS Prof. Muneer Ahmad Junejo expressed that our modern lifestyle has helped cancer rates to rise dramatically worldwide. “Many countries have seen reduced poverty levels and increased industrialization, experience changes in environment, lifestyle and diets that are more conducive to cancer”, he noted.
These lifestyle changes include reduced activity levels, increase in “fast-food” consumption and consumption of gutka, manpauri, naswar, pan and increased tobacco used in Pakistan are factors causing cancer in the country, said Prof. Junejo adding that treatment alone cannot win the battle against cancer and key priorities should be given to cancer prevention and control measures.
This will stop through implementation of effective tobacco control measures domestically including tobacco taxes, smoke free indoor workplaces and public places, health warnings, education and training, bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and cessation assistance and to cooperate with other parties in tobacco control efforts, he noted.
The Chief Guest Vice Chancellor, University of Sindh Dr. Fateh Mohammad Burfat called to dispel damaging myths and misconceptions about cancer. Under the theme “We Can. I Can” individuals and communities are encouraged to shed light on this World Cancer Day.
The annual cancer day marks global efforts to advance cancer research and focus on methods to minimize the global burden of disease, he said adding that the World Cancer Campaign calls on all those with a say in how children live their lives, parents, teachers, health workers and decision makers to help children make healthy choices that can mean a cancer free future.