Bringing Cost Efficiency In Cancer Treatment Is The Need Of The Hour

In a wide-ranging interview, Dr Sajjan Rajpurohit, Senior Medical Oncologist, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCIRC) talks about the cancer scenario in India to Prathiba Raju. Explains that late detection, lack of awareness and affordable care are the main reasons for the high cancer mortality rates in the country

- Prathiba Raju

Cancer has taken centre stage and is in an upsurge, with more and more people being detected with the disease, still we don't have enough oncologists. Why do you think there is a dearth of specialists in oncology?

The value of detecting cancer early is significant. Although the situation has improved in recent years, India still has one of the worst records for both identification of cancer and survival from it. Late detection, lack of awareness and affordable care are the main reasons for the high cancer mortality rates in the country. However, awareness on cancer has improved from what it was ten years ago, but still much more needs to be done. The number of cancer cases are burgeoning due to increased urbanisation, air and water pollution and change in lifestyle, like increased use of tobacco, preservatives and processed food, use of alcohol, tobacco, obesity, etc.