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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Rising incidence
of cancer: Some useful suggestions The might of mites Health
Notes
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Rising incidence of cancer: Some useful suggestions Indian statistics on this subject is scanty and whatever is available is not reliable. We have to depend upon foreign data for analysis. GLOBOCAN 2008 estimates that about 12.7 million cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths are estimated to have occurred in 2008 all over the world. It is also estimated that of these, 56 per cent of the cases and 64 per cent of the deaths occurred in the economically developing world. Cancer has attracted research workers from all over the world, and billions of dollars have been spent on it. Still the exact cause of cancer is not known and, therefore, the exact reason for the increased incidence of cancer is also not known. Reasons for increased incidence Let us analyse some of the factors that may be responsible for the increasing incidence of cancer. Increase in population There has been a tremendous increase in the population all over the world, but we Indians have surpassed all. The present population of India is 1,028,737,436 and it is estimated that by 2025 we will overtake China. India’s population accounts for 17 per cent of the global population, or it can be said that one out of six persons living on the earth is in India. Compare this with the Indian population of 361,088,090 in 1951; it has gone up three times during the last 60 years. It is, therefore, but natural that the absolute number of cancer patients will also increase. The total population of under-developed countries is much higher than that of the developed countries. The total number of cancer cases is higher in developing countries (56 per cent) compared to developed countries, although the incidence of cancer (percentage of population developing cancer ) is not even half of that in the developed countries. Aging of population Cancer can be seen at any age; a child may be born with cancer, although it is mostly seen in elderly persons and globally the longevity of life has been increasing and this is one of the main reasons for finding more number of cancer patients. In 1947, at the time of India’s independence, the average age of an Indian was 32 years and it is now 62. The average lifespan of both men and women is rising all over the world. The average lifespan in the US is about 75 years and this may also explain why cancer is more common over there. Awareness-cum-better diagnostic facilities Medical science has progressed rapidly, newer diagnostic facilities like CT scan, MRI, PET CT scan, tumour markers, mammography, FNAC, endoscopy and other tests can identify cancer at a very early stage when cancer does not even produce any symptom (complaint) or sign in the person. Thanks to increasing awareness, apparently healthy persons get regular periodic medical check-ups, and cancer can be detected even in asymptomatic persons. Earlier the patients were very reluctant to visit doctors, and even if they visited the medical personnel, the cancerous diseases could not be identified or diagnosed. But now the scenario has changed. Environmental factors Increased use of pesticides, insecticides, atmospheric pollution, contamination of underground water by industrial effluents and pollutants are all known to contain carcinogenic agents and give rise to an increasing number of cancer cases. A WHO press release announcing its cancer report contains a section, “Poverty, affluence and the global burden of cancer.” It notes that while those who live in industrialised countries are twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer than those living in developing countries. Increased use of tobacco It has been conclusively proved that use of tobacco in any form (cigarette, bidi, hookah, gutka, khaini, etc) can produce cancer. Cancer of the mouth and lungs is definitely known to be closely related to tobacco, but cancer of the stomach, oesophagus (food-pipe), prostate, urinary bladder, the pancreas and even the female breast has been linked to the use of tobacco. Effect of dietary constituents: Fast food, which is definitely unhealthy, has become a common practice with the younger generation of today. It is well known that fast food and non-vegetarian food without generous additions of fresh vegetables produce constipation; and constipation is linked to cancer of the colon (large intestine). Consumption of fat with animal protein, as it happens with the consumption of beef and pork, is known to produce cancer of the colon and this perhaps is the reason for a higher incidence of colon cancer among people living in the West as compared to eastern countries. Rampant use of CT & PET scan: The present era has seen a tremendous increase in the use of radiological investigations, particularly CT and PET scans, which definitely give harmful radiations to patients. It has been estimated that in the US 3 per cent of all cancers are because of repeated scans. The incidence is much more in children who have been subjected to CT scans on multiple occasions. Social and public health issues: The report argues that “a country must be prepared to allocate a certain priority to cancer-control activities, and possess a basic public health and health care infrastructure.” This advice runs counter to the current trend of governments attacking or even dismantling health care infrastructures. Some areas in Punjab have a very high incidence of cancer probably because of the pollution of underground water, but no concrete step has been taken yet to prevent the health catastrophe. In any case, cancer is a disease that cannot be prevented in a majority of the cases. The efforts should be made to detect it at the earliest and then seek good treatment. These two steps can cure this disease in a large number of cases. A large number of cancer cases can be prevented through the application of the existing cancer-control knowledge and by implementing programmes for tobacco control, vaccination (for liver and cervical cancers), early detection and proper treatment as well as public health campaigns promoting physical activity and a healthier dietary habit. Clinicians, public health professionals, policy makers and people’s groups can play an active role in accelerating the application of such interventions. The writer is former Senior Professor and Head of Surgery, PGI, Chandigarh, was the President, Association of Surgeons of India. |
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The might of mites The
power of minute and micro-organism is astonishingly enormous and often exceeds the power of larger animals, including the human beings. They are very small in size, remain unnoticed and multiply manifold. Moreover, they are able to survive the most hostile environment and able to adapt to all different arrays of habitats. Mites and ticks together constitute one such group of minute organisms which have a worldwide prevalence. Most of them are known to be harmful. On a larger and broader scale, their might is clearly greater than that of even the most sophisticated technology of man. Interestingly, a tropical species, Archegozetes longisetosus, relative to its mass of about 100 ug, can be considered as one of the strongest animals in the world; it can lift up to about 1200 times its own weight. Although mites are known to attack plants and animals, here the focus is on their enmity with humans who may become their prey while working outdoor with animals and plants or even in their own comfortable environment in the drawing room and bedrooms. The mites have come into focus because of the recognition of cases of scrub-typhus reported from this region. Scrub-typhus caused by the micro-organisms typhus are transmitted to humans through the bites of mites. Scrub-typhus is an acute febrile illness which resolves with treatment in a few days. On the other hand, the allergic reactions to mites are chronic and persistent. Many times, the role of mites in naso-bronchial and skin allergies may remain unrecognised and untreated. One keeps on intensifying anti-allergic treatments without any significant improvement in symptoms. Avoidance of exposure to mites is absolutely essential in such cases. In particular, the home-dust mite (Pyroglyphidae family) is of great medical significance. The house-dust mite is one of the most allergenic agents for humans. It breeds in warm and humid conditions, particularly during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Unfortunately, most of the modern amenities in our homes such as curtains, carpets, sofa-sets, quilts, blankets, mattresses and pillows offer the most friendly conditions for mites to grow. They are there all around us, particularly in the evenings and the nights. All body parts of the house-dust mite, including its feces, are a powerful source of respiratory and skin allergies. They stick to the skin and incite local allergic reactions and atopic dermatitis responsible for constant itching, scratching and urticaria. The parts dispersed in the indoor air are inhaled in the lungs. This triggers the nasal and respiratory allergies causing hay-fever, asthma and hyper-sensitivity reactions. It is frequently responsible for precipitation and aggravation of asthma attacks, particularly in children. Hay-fever is characterised by an attack of sneezing, nasal stuffiness, running of the nose and often associated with fever, headache and myalgias. Bronchial asthma, on the other hand, involves the lower respiratory tract resulting in bronchospasm, wheezing of whistling sounds, cough, chest heaviness and phlegm production. Asthma and allergic rhinitis may frequently occur together when labelled as naso-bronchial allergy. The concentration of dust mites increases by several folds during dusting and cleaning of the household upholstery and furnishings. One often suffers from an immediate episode of sneezing, coughing and bronchospasm following the routine household cleaning. Simple dust inhalation may also result in irritative sneezing and coughing, but it settles very soon. On the other hand, the dust containing the body parts and excretions of mites produces more persistent, continuous and severe symptoms. The symptomatology may, in fact, become perpetual unless adequately controlled and treated in time. Furs of pet animals such as cats and dogs constitute another important place for the mites to live. Similarly, they hide and multiply in the furs of stuffed toys which may often get wet and unwashed. Unfortunately, the things which are dear to the child may become the cause for his/her troubles. Avoidance from mites is not easy to achieve. It requires regular cleaning and drying of the sources. Dusting should be ideally done in the absence of allergic individuals to avoid their exposure. If possible, the potential sources should be removed from the surroundings of the allergic patients. Adequate exposure to sunlight enormously helps the killing of the mites. Chemical sprays for the eradication of mites are not very helpful. The volatile chemicals themselves may cause problems sometimes. It is also important to choose and opt for the household items made from such materials as do not allow the collection of dusts and are easy to clean. Nothing in the house should be allowed to stale. Finally, it should be appreciated that killing the mites prevents their further breeding. The writer is Professor & Head, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, PGI, Chandigarh. |
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Playing sports could make middle-aged people smarter
London: High-intensity interval training not only makes middle-aged people healthier, it can also boost their mental ability, according to a Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) study. Dr Anil Nigam of the MHI and University of Montreal led the study in collaboration with the Montreal Geriatric University Institute. The participants all had a body-mass index (BMI) between 28 and 31 (overweight) in addition to one or more other cardiovascular risk factors. Body-mass index is calculated as a person’s weight divided by their height squared (kg/m2) - 25 to 30 is considered overweight, over 30 is obese. High-intensity interval training involves alternating between short periods of low and high intensity aerobic exercise — for example, a series of 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 30 seconds of walking or jogging. “We worked with six adults who all followed a four-month programme of twice weekly interval training on stationary bicycles and twice weekly resistance training. Cognitive function, VO2max and brain oxygenation during exercise testing revealed that the participants’ cognitive functions had greatly improved thanks to the exercise,” Dr. Nigam said. — ANI Cannabis spray ‘may help cancer patients cope with pain’
Melbourne: Researchers have found evidence for the medicinal use of cannabis in people with cancer and multiple sclerosis. Australian doctors are testing a cannabis mouth spray called Sativex in cancer patients with pain that does not respond well to traditional painkillers such as morphine. The phase-three trial is the last of several studies required for manufacturer GW Pharmaceuticals to try to license the drug in Australia. Dr Brian Le, a palliative care specialist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, said four Australian hospitals were participating in the study, which involves about 300 patients in 20 locations around the world. If the drug is found to be safe and effective, he said, it could be available to Australian patients in the next few years. — ANI
Probiotics may help fight symptoms of common cold
London: Probiotic supplementation was found to be effective in treating symptoms of the common cold in college students, according to a new study. College students are notoriously sleep-deprived, live in close quarters and lead stress-filled lives, making them especially susceptible for contracting colds and upper-respiratory infections. For these reasons, a team led by researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Health-Related Professions (UMDNJ-SHRP) selected this population to study the effects of probiotic supplementation on health-related quality of life (HRQL) during the common cold. — ANI |
Cannabis
spray ‘may help cancer patients cope with pain’
I