Core Programme Clusters

Cancer

Cancer is emerging as a major public health problem in India. The cancer pattern in India shows that the majority of cancers are Tobacco related and are preventable by controlling tobacco use. In women, cancer of the Uterine Cervix and Breast cancer are the most common cancers.

The National Control Programme of India has set its objectives as primary prevention of tobacco related cancers, early detection of Breast, Cervical and Oro-pharyngeal cancers, strengthening of treatment facilities and provision of palliative care. The WHO Biennium activities were planned to support the National Cancer Control Programme of India. Generating reliable data on the occurrence and trends of cancer is a priority and the WHO project on development of an atlas of Cancer in India has been a major contribution to the National Cancer Registry Programme, being undertaken by the Indian Council of Medical Research. This project covers more than one hundred Medical Colleges by linking the Pathology Departments through Internet. The cases are registered on the Website of the project and the pooled data will be analysed to generate the cancer pattern in India. The WHO Biennium is also supporting human resource generation in cancer registration in addition to initiating five new hospital based cancer registries

Early detection of cancer offers the best opportunity for maximizing the treatment benefits. The Modified District Cancer Control Programme was initiated in the Biennium 2000-2001, which was carried out in four centres Chennai, Patna, Allahabad and Kolkata. The Programme was targeted for women and using trained volunteers from the community the women were interviewed regarding their awareness about cancer and risk behaviour. This project will provide the much needed database on population prevalence of risk factors and will help to identify the high-risk groups, who can be provided services for early detection.

Strategies for screening appropriate for low resource settings have to be identified and the WHO has supported a workshop of National and International experts to suggest feasible and sustainable screening strategies for cancer of the uterine cervix in India. Human resource generation in the field of cancer detection and treatment for medical officers, diagnostics for pathologists and cytologists and awareness for health workers are organised regularly at various centres in India.

Pain and Palliative care is an integral part of the total cancer care and the WHO has facilitated the development of this programme in India. Morphine tablets were purchased and distributed to cancer centres, which provide pain relief. Educational and training programmes were also supported for capacity building in Palliative care. Support is provided to some of the regional cancer centres to establish palliative care units.

National cancer awareness day is observed on the 7th of November, since 2001. The WHO has supported this activity, which has brought out a commemorative postal stamp and official stationery with cancer prevention messages. A book on the National Cancer Control Programme of India was brought out in 2002 by the Ministry of Health, with the support of WHO.