Summary:
Jaipur: The number of cancer cases will increase by 54% and number of cancer-related deaths by 59%, said doctors citing International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and stressed the need for promoting health education in India. Learning is the only method how we can fight the disease,” he added. The doctors, who attended the three-day conference of the Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Encyclopaedia -ISMPOCON- 2018 here, expressed concern over the lack of health education in India about cancer treatment , its cost, prevention and dismal patient-doctor ratio.Dr G S Bhattacharya, a senior oncologist from Kolkata, in his presentation on the challenges of cancer treatment and its cost-effectiveness, pointed out that the number of cancer cases will increase by 54% globally , while the number of cancer-related deaths will increase by 59%.Pointing out the threats of cancer treatment, Bhattacharya said high cost of drugs and treatment, shortage of oncologists, poor access to optimal oncologist expertise, oncologist burnout, financial pressure on oncologists, payments problems and research challenges that include low accrual to clinical trials are the main challenges with regard to its treatment.He also said the primary goals of cancer treatment include “High quality effective, affordable and compassionate care; accurate information must be made available so that patients and physicians can make informed decisions about cancer prevention and treatment and accurate cancer information should be made available so that policymakers will make informed decisions based on value to be delivered by cancer prevention and treatment.”“In this country, we grossly lack health education, not just for general public but also for the doctors..