Cancer, a preventable disease of the modern age-an overview from the Indian perspective

Cancer, the most alarming global problem of today, is emerging as an important health problem in India. In ancient Indians, the virtual absence of cancerous malignancies suggested that cancer is largely affected by the Industrial revolution resulting in changes in environment and lifestyle. The common lifestyle factors leading to cancer death include: tobacco, diet and obesity, infections, stress and lack of physical activity. Alcohol consumption, excessive sun tanning and occupational hazards are some other factors to blame. Excessive increase in environmental pollutants resulting from vehicular emissions, untreated industrial smoke, factory wastes, pesticides, radon exposure, radiation etc. pose a high risk of cancer. However, most of these risk factors are modifiable and thus cancer cases may also be prevented to a large extent. There is a critical need to limit exposures to avoid environmental and occupational carcinogens and to find safer alternatives to the present chemical and physical risks. Public awareness as well as urgent actions by public bodies to make our environment clean and green as well as adoption of a healthy lifestyle are therefore the most important tools to fight against cancer and other preventable diseases.