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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : May 23, 2014 11:49 AM IST
Scientists have claimed that they have identified nine simple questions that can be used to identify people who may be at increased risk of various cancers, heart disease and diabetes because of their family history. According to the researchers, theses questions can be used to provide insight into people's susceptibility to breast, ovarian, bowel and prostate cancer, melanoma, ischaemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Lead researcher Jon Emery said that this research is the first of its kind to validate the family history screening questionnaire as a tool to cover multiple conditions and can be used as a screening tool in general practice to identify people who need a more detailed discussion about their family history of cancer, diabetes or heart disease. Evidence suggests that having knowledge of a family history of a specific condition is associated with improved uptake of a range of disease-preventative activities, such as cancer screening and reduced sun exposure. (Read: Ultra-sensitive nano chip to detect cancer very early)
What is the gravity of the situation, as regards to breast cancer, for India?
According to the Globocan 2012 data (Globocan is an arm of the World Health Organization), in the year 2012, an estimated 70,218 women died of breast cancer in India. The actual number could be lesser or more, as this number is an estimate (based on certain calculations). This number is the highest in the world, for that year. The second in line is China, with some 48,000 deaths (estimated data) and third is the US, with around 44,000 deaths (recorded data). You can clearly see a huge gap in deaths between India and other countries. You can find a detailed review and analysis of that article at https://www.breastcancerindia.net/bc/statistics/stat_global.htm
Though the number of women being diagnosed with breast cancer is much more in other countries, the actual number of deaths from this illness is the highest in India. If we see the deaths, as a proportion of the population of India, it is lower than other countries. But that does not matter. What matters is the actual number of women dying from this illness, in India. 70,000 is a number that cannot be ignored! Each and every life is precious, and we have to act fast to get this number down. Also, for more than the last 50 years, cervical cancer had been the most common cancer in India. But now, breast cancer has overtaken it and is now the most common cancer in India, way ahead of cervical cancer, and is rising very rapidly. (Read more on breast cancer)
With inputs from ANI
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