Awareness of cancer among blood donors in a tertiary cancer centre in Eastern India

The prevalence of cancer and cancer mortality has been on high rise in India. Late diagnosis is likely to be a major factor for this high mortality as most patients present in advanced stage of the disease. Lack of awareness and non-existent nation-wide cancer screening programs in India are the main attributing causes for this high mortality. Ignorance, fear of cancer and its associated stigma are barriers in spreading awareness regarding cancer prevention. Spreading awareness about cancer and its early detection are key public health challenges for India. As a part of tertiary cancer centre in Eastern India, we have observed that even though people would come forward to donate blood for patients suffering from cancer they lacked knowledge regarding this dreaded disease. This study was planned to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of cancer in blood donors who had come to donate blood in the hospital for patients suffering from cancer.