Why should you get screened for cancer early?

Early screening of cancer helps in detecting symptomatic patients as early as possible so that they have the best chance of successful treatment and making it through. If the treatment of cancer is delayed or inaccessible, there is a decreased chance of survival, complex treatments and their attendant high costs. Dr Ashok Kumar Vaid, Chairman of Medical and Haemato Oncology, Cancer Institute at Medanta, Gurugram explains why early cancer screening helps.
Why are cancer screenings important?
The primary goal of screening is to detect cancer at an early stage, especially when an individual is asymptomatic. If detected early, the cure rates are high and the treatment is not prohibitively expensive, allowing patients to achieve the best results. Furthermore, it reduces the number of people who succumb to the disease and decreases the number of people who develop the disease.

How can we strengthen the awareness around cancer screenings in India?
There is still a lack of awareness about the disease, which prevents people from getting screened. An education awareness campaign is urgently needed apart from a behavioural shift towards health and regular health check-ups, as is a shift in perspective, which can only be achieved through education.
To detect cancer early, a well-planned national strategy is required, including cancer screening policies, initiatives and tie-ups with non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Policy makers, the government, the healthcare community, non-governmental organisations and educational institutions should all work together to make a difference around minimising cancer cases, their early detection and qualitative treatment throughout the country.
There are templates. India had such a massive HIV/AIDS campaign, the National AIDS policy resulting in massive awareness. We need a similar space for cancer awareness in India. For example, since India has a very high dependency on tobacco consumption, there could be a massive campaign to reduce smoking among the young. Such collaborative efforts will aid in prevention of cancer. The approach to educating the masses is multi-stakeholder, with the media playing an important role. The government must develop a policy that will be implemented various organisations at various levels.
Is there any specific age to undergo cancer screenings?
Cancer can be detected at any age. The age is determined the type of cancer and risk factors. For example, people with average risk factors for colorectal cancer should start regular screening at the age of 45 years, women with breast cancer genetic mutations should start screening at 25 years and have the option to start annual breast cancer screening as they age, say from 40 years, with mammograms (x-rays of the breast) if they wish to do so. Similarly, the screening programme for each cancer (uterine, cervical, oral, lung and so on) is determined based on their risk factors and occurrence at specific ages.

What are five cancer screenings that you must undergo to fight cancer early?
Cancer screening tests seek to detect cancer before symptoms appear, when it may be easier to treat successfully. Several cancer screening tests are considered effective and recommended expert groups based on the individual’s risk factors.
Breast cancer screening: According to the National Cancer Institute, mammography has been shown to reduce breast cancer deaths among women aged between 40 and 74, particularly those aged between 50 and 69. For women at average risk, doctors generally recommend starting screening at the age of 50.
Cervical cancer screening: Human papillomavirus (HPV) tests and Pap tests are recommended for cervical cancer screening. These tests help prevent the disease detecting and treating abnormal cells before they become cancerous. Doctors recommend that testing should begin at the age of 21 and continue until the age of 65 (for women who have had adequate prior screening and are not otherwise at high risk for cervical cancer).
Colorectal cancer screening: Several screening tests have been shown to reduce the risk of dying from colorectal cancer, including colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and stool tests (high-sensitivity faecal occult blood tests and stool DNA tests). Doctors recommend that people, who are at average risk for colorectal cancer, get one of these tests done between the ages of 45 and 50 and 75.
Lung cancer screening: A CT scan for lung cancer has aided in early detection and, as a result, has reduced lung cancer deaths among heavy smokers. Doctors recommend screening people aged 50 and 80 who are current or former heavy smokers.
Why are cancer rates increasing in India? What are the reasons behind the rising cancer cases among young people?
As we grow older, there is a higher risk of acquiring mutations, and as a result, cancer. Having said that, cancer is becoming more common in younger age groups as well, which is a very concerning trend. The case is becoming more common in India as a result of rising consumption of packaged foods, containing harmful preservatives, as well as junk food. Tobacco use is linked to 40 per cent of cancers in India, followed obesity, which is linked to 20 per cent of cancers. Other aggravating factors are alcohol consumption, family hory, sedentary lifestyle and environmental factors like excessive pollution. Furthermore, because of advanced facilities, more and more cases are being diagnosed in comparison to the past, which ultimately accounts for the cancer surge in India.
Are there any new screening methods that could help in detecting cancer earlier?
The advancements and spiking experiments in healthcare can now enumerate lung, colorectal and prostate cancer cells while only using a small sample of blood (2 ml).
Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests, which are blood tests designed to detect the presence of more than one cancer at a time in early, more treatable stages, are a new development in cancer early detection.
(Dr Vaid is a renowned medical oncolog. He is credited with the performance of the first 25 bone marrow transplantations in the private sector in North India. He has conducted more than 40 international and national studies in clinical research. He is known for organising numerous seminars, workshops and conferences)