On the occasion of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are turning our gaze to this deadly condition. Cervical cancer and breast cancer are the most common cause of cancer deaths among women in India, but early detection and proper treatment can improve this prognosis and can make cancer curable.
A study conducted by E&Y and FICCI has reported that in India, 2,000 women are newly diagnosed with cancer every day. 1,200 of these cases are detected in late stages, which reduces the 5-year survival rate by 3 to 17 times for breast cancer and cervical cancer. This late detection also raises the cost of treatment by 1.5 to 2 times that for early-stage cancers.
Breast cancer control
The major thrust in cancer control is early detection and prevention. Towards this, the Cancer Institute has a functional preventive oncology department set-up for early detection screening, and an exhibition and mammo-mobile for screening. The department also functions as the training centre to train staff and coordinate the activities at the different centres.
Through their efforts, the Cancer Institute has covered nearly 2,18,000 households across 260 villages in Tamil Nadu and enabled early detection screening for over 90,820 women and men. TAKE Solutions Ltd. a services provider in Life Sciences, has announced its support for Preventive Oncology with Cancer Institute (WIA) in Chennai as part of its CSR initiative. Navitas Life Sciences, a TAKE Solutions Enterprise, has supported over 650 oncology studies.
Srinivasan H R, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, TAKE Solutions Limited, said, “As part of our CSR initiative, we are delighted to support the Cancer Institute’s (WIA) Preventive Oncology unit, functioning in and around Chennai. Through its work, the department raises awareness in early detection of breast cancer, education and screening of the rural population in villages around Chennai. As a Life Sciences organization, TAKE’s business has an impact on human health. This initiative is particularly important to our organisation since Oncology is one of our primary therapeutic areas of focus.”
