Cancer is a major cause of death in the world, accounting for 8.2 (2012) million deaths worldwide and 0.6 million deaths (2010) in India, and it is projected that cancer will kill more than 13.1 million people in 2030. The focus of this year’s World Cancer Day is to dispel damaging myths about cancer and increase awareness on Cancer, its prevention and treatment.
A baseline survey was conducted among 144 inpatients, outpatients and their relatives on their “Perception of Cancer” to gain an understanding about the opinion of the general public towards cancer. All the medical health professionals were excluded in the study.
Most of the participants were from the age group 26-35 years (37.5%), with participation from both males (53.4%) and females (46.5%). 59% of the participants were married. Maximum of the participants were Under Graduates. There were representations from various occupations. These participants comprised of tribals (75.5%) and non-tribals (24.5%) of the North East Region.
Summary of findings:
• 33.1% believes that cancer is a death sentence
• 85% agrees that cancer is curable
• 21.3% thinks that cancer is one’s fate
• 73.7% believes that cancer is preventable
• 19.3% are of the belief that cancer is a curse
• 57.1% understands that eating smoked meat can cause cancer
• 17.9% opined that cancer is a disease of the rich and wealthy
• 90.2% agreed that tobacco use can cause cancer
• 16.2% thinks that they can catch cancer if they come in contact with those suffering from cancer
• 25.4% understands that genetics (positive family history of cancer) holds a risk for developing cancer
• 16.9% thinks that there is nothing that can be done once diagnosed with cancer
• 34.5% were of the opinion that they should first go to prayer center if they are diagnosed with cancer
• 7.1% holds the belief that “Kobiras” (Traditional healer) can treat cancer
• 84.5% were of the opinion that cancer can affect anyone at any stage of life
• The greatest concern if they are diagnosed with cancer would be the effect on family and friends (39.6%) and death (24.3%)
• The words that the participants related cancer closely to are “Death” and “Money”
Based on these findings and in keeping with the theme of the World Cancer Day 2014, this article addresses certain MYTHS and TRUTH about Cancer.
Myth 1: Cancer is a death sentence
Truth: Many cancers that were once considered a death sentence can now be cured and for many more people, their cancer can be treated effectively
• With the advance in the knowledge and understanding of Cancer, there is much improvement in the outcomes of Cancer. Cancer is more treatable and the chance of death due to cancer is lesser if detected and treated at an early stage.
• There are 28 million cancer survivors worldwide.
Myth2: Cancer is my fate; There is nothing I can do about cancer; Cancer is a curse
Truth: With the right strategies, a third of the most common cancers can be prevented.
Prevention is the most cost-effective and sustainable way of reducing the cancer burden in the long-term. Improving diet, physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight could prevent around a third of the most common cancers.
• Based on current trends, tobacco use is estimated to kill one billion people in the 21st century and tobacco use will account for 71% of all lung cancer deaths and 22% of all cancer deaths. Several of the most common cancers in developing countries such as liver, cervical and stomach cancers are associated with infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV), the human papillomavirus (HPV), and the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), respectively can be prevented by adopting healthy habits and Vaccination.
• Exposure to a wide range of environmental causes of cancer in our personal and professional lives, including exposure to indoor air pollution, radiation and excessive sunlight are also major preventable causes of cancer.
• Alcohol is a known risk factor for cancer. It is strongly linked with an increased risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx (voice box), oesophagus (food pipe), intestines and breast, and may also increase the risk of liver cancer and bowel cancer in women.
• Overweight and obesity is also strongly linked to increased risks of intestines, breast, uterine (womb), pancreatic, oesophagus, and kidney and gallbladder cancers.
Myth 3: Cancer is a disease of the wealthy:
Truth: The impact of cancer on all populations is devastating but especially so for poor, vulnerable and socially disadvantaged people who get sicker and die sooner as a result of cancer.
• Out of the 7.6 million global deaths due to cancer in 2008, more than 55% occurred in less developed regions of the world. By 2030, 60-70% of the estimated 21.4 million new cancer cases per year are predicted to occur in developing countries. Cervical cancer which is the leading type of cancer among women in Nagaland is estimated to kill as many as 430,000 women per year in the developing countries.
Myth 4: Cancer is a disease of the elderly:
Truth: Cancer affects all ages.
• Cancer not only affects the elderly, but young men and women, often in their prime. In contrast to existing myths of it being associated mostly with advanced age, more than 70% of fatal cancers in India occur in people aged between 30-69 years. A 30- year old man in India has a 4-7% chance of dying from cancer before the age of 70 years. The risk for a 30- year old woman is 4.4%. Most of the 750,000 cervical and breast cancer deaths per year occur during a woman’s reproductive years. Cancer is also a disease of young people. For children aged 5-14, cancer is a leading cause of death in many countries.
Myth 5: Cancer is contagious (I can catch cancer from others suffering with cancer)
Truth: No type of cancer is contagious
• There are two known contagious viruses: the Human Papilloma Virus and Hepatitis C Virus that can cause cervical cancer in women and liver cancer respectively. Both viruses can be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse and Hepatitis C Virus can also be transmitted also through sharing needles or blood transfusions.
Myth 6: Not all tobacco product causes cancer
Truth: Tobacco is the single most important avoidable risk factor in the causation of cancer.
• The most prevalent cancers in men in India (oral and lung cancers) have strong causal relation with tobacco consumption in various forms. Close to 22% of all cancer related deaths and around 42% of cancer deaths in men in India are caused by tobacco. Cervical, stomach and breast cancers are the most common type of fatal cancers among Indian women, accounting for over 41% of cancer deaths out of which 18.3% of the deaths are attributed to tobacco.
Myth 7: Eating smoked meat does not necessarily cause cancer
Truth: The chemicals (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) found in smoke are known carcinogens (cancer causing agents)
•   ;A growing body of research suggests that cooking meat over a flame is linked to cancer. Combusting wood, gas, or charcoal emits chemicals known as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHS). Exposure to these PAHs is known to cause skin, liver, stomach, and several other types of cancer. When meat is cooked with high temperature, (grilling, frying or broiling), heterocyclic amines which are thought to cause cancer are formed. Grilling / smoking meat exposes meat to cancer causing chemicals in the smoke.
Myth 8: There are no signs and symptoms of cancer:
Truth: For many cancers, there are warning signs and symptoms and the benefits of early detection are indisputable
• It is true that early signs and symptoms are not known for all cancers, but for many cancers, including breast, cervical, skin, oral and colorectal cancers, and some childhood cancers, the benefits of early detection are indisputable.
• With few exceptions, early stage cancers are more treatable than late stage cancers.
Myth 9: Faith healing can cure cancer; If I have cancer, I should first go to prayer center
Truth: Available scientific evidence does not support claims that faith healing (prayer, visiting prayer centers, support group prayer, etc) can cure cancer or any other disease.
• However, it may promote peace of mind, reduce stress, relieve pain and anxiety and strengthen the will to live and cope more effectively with their illness. A recent study found that spiritual well-being was linked with lower distress levels in people who had been treated for colorectal cancer. However, relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have serious health consequences.
Myth 10: Kobiras or Traditional healer can treat cancer
Truth: There is only little known about the effectiveness of Complementary and alternative therapies in cancer patients specifically.
• The use of alternative therapies has been increasing steadily and their use is common among cancer patients. Complementary and alternative therapies can improve physical and psychological well-being, and increase hope. Many patients are also sufficiently convinced of traditional healer’s ability to cure people of cancer that they decline to have tumors removed surgically. However, there is no evidence whatsoever that chiropractic (Kobiras) treatment is beneficial in treating cancer; Moreover, more research is required to determine the effectiveness of alternative therapies for cancer.
World Cancer Day is a chance to raise our collective voices in the name of increasing awareness around cancer and dispelling misconceptions about the disease. We hope and believe that this article will challenge negative beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate myths, cause fear and stigma that prevent people from seeking early detection and treatment. Being equipped with the right knowledge and understanding about cancer, we will be empowered to access quality cancer prevention and care.
