Author: Prof (Dr) Bhudev C Das
WORLD CANCER DAY / FEBRUARY 4 Cancer is a dreaded disease, mostly detected at late stages but it can be prevented or cured, if detected early. Cancer detection has long been dependent on tumour tissue biopsies which can be obtained by surgical procedures which are both resource- and labour-intensive and are usually performed only after symptoms become clinically evident. While histopathology (microscopic study of diseased tissues and cells) remains the diagnostic gold standard, its reliance on surgical or needle-based sampling creates inherent bottlenecks for population screening, early diagnosis, and easy monitoring. In India, a substantial proportion of cancers (~70%) are…
Cervical cancer, a major public health problem in India, is under the spotlight due to the government’s recent initiative for vaccination of young adolescent girls, highlighted recently in the Union Budget. This strategic move is heralded as a potential turning point in the battle against cervical cancer, a disease that results in the death of more than 77,346 Indian women every year. By aligning with global efforts to eliminate cervical cancer, this proactive vaccination campaign marks a crucial step towards safeguarding women’s health across the nation. Despite the availability of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for over a decade, including the recent introduction…