In India, a country with a vast population and a diverse socio-economic fabric, healthcare remains fraught with challenges including disparities in access. These socio-economic disparities are deep, and they influence health outcomes. It is imperative to bridge these gaps amid the ongoing epidemiological, nutritional and demographic transitions that are bringing …
This analysis is based on two assumptions. l Cancer is linked to environmental pollution. l The poorest of the poor live in the most polluted environmental conditions. It is an effort to explore a third aspect with the strength of the first two: is cancer becoming an increasing problem among …
T he six cancer registries in India fail to give the true picture of cancer incidence as several cases go unreported. Vinod Raina, additional professor of medical oncology at aiims , recently stated in a television programme that only about 30 per cent of the patients diagnosed with cancer undergo …
Yes, India does have a National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP). It is run by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. It is quite another matter that not a single report has come out of it since July 1992, when the NCRP published the Biennial Report 1988-1989: An …
In the absence of any recent data on cancer incidence, Down To Earth conducted a survey of two Delhi localities to see the difference in how cancer is affecting the rich and the poor. Two things were considered: l It was important to go and speak to general practitioners about …
W hile lung cancer's link with smoking has been publicised, its link with air pollution is considerably underplayed. "Data do suggest that urban smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer than rural smokers, even after accounting for smoking behaviour (how heavily a person smokes, what kind of cigarettes are …
The Harvard Centre for Cancer Prevention has listed the cancers that various economic groups are associated with Types of cancer with established association with low socioeconomic status: l Lung l Cervix uteri l Stomach Types of cancer with probable association with low socioeconomic status: l Oral cavity l Oesophagus l …
On July 17, 1989, the American Cancer Society issued a "Report to the Nation'. It was the culmination of a series of fact-finding hearings held in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute and the Centres for Disease Control and prevention in May-June. There was representation from all states in USA. …
1: Mohammed Farouque 4, has brain tumour. His father Sayyad Hussain earns Rs 1,800 per month polishing brass on utensils in a factory in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. The child was six months old when the lump was discovered behind his ear. Two operations in Bareilly and Rs 15,000 later, the …
Radioactive material, that is posing a threat to the environment, may have the potential to become a cure for cancer. Researchers have tested Bismuth-213
the cold virus could become a friend for cancer patients. New research suggests that patients undergoing chemotherapy are more likely to survive for a longer period when treated with a cold virus. Fadlo Khuri of the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston, usa, found that …
by an 11-6 vote, a us Senate panel has approved a bill banning the addition in petrol of the fuel additive called mtbe (for methyl tertiary butyl ether), which is carcinogenic and pollutes groundwater. mtbe , added to petrol after the early 1980s, instead of lead for cleaner burning of …
levels of radiation emitted from mobile phones will be notified by cellular phone companies from the year 2001. This move comes in the wake of similar action taken in Europe. Recently worldwide concerns have been raised about the radiation emitted by cellular phones, which according to researchers can cause cancer. …
When left intact, asbestos fibres do not pose a health risk to the human body They are a potential risk when the materials become damaged to the extent where asbestos fibres become airborne and can be inhaled Asbestos can release fibres when it crumbles. If powdered or friable forms of …
There have been several cases filed against the asbestos industry with regard to the health of the workers. The most famous is the one between Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad, and others and the Union of India in 1993. The writ petition dealt with the danger to the …
If vehicular emissions are to come down, governments will have to provide incentives to develop and promote the use of cleaner alternatives. In 1999, global passenger car production reached a record 39 million. The global car fleet now stands at 520 million. More vehicles will result in higher emissions. This …
