The Hindu Business Line : 24-hour help-line for breast cancer formed

OCTOBER is breast cancer awareness month but for the thousands of women who have fallen victim to the dreaded C word, this year will bring in more than just the token pink ribbon fashion shows. A group of oncologists in Pune, under the aegis of the Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology (ISMPO), have started a 24-hour breast cancer help-line which will provide emotional support and, more importantly, information about the disease which is acquiring menacing proportions and increasingly affecting younger women in India.

"The incidence of cancer is on the rise, especially in urban areas and what is also striking is the fact that patients are increasingly coming in from the age group of 30-35 while the high risk age world wide is actually 45-55," Dr Anantbhushan Ranade, Vice-President, ISMPO, told Business Line.

According to statistics available with the Indian Cancer Care Society, as many as 7.9 lakh cases of the disease were detected in 2004 alone and the numbers are going up fast. "Breast cancer is now becoming one of the commonest forms of cancer and there is a surprising amount of fears, myths and ignorance about it. One of the most important factors in managing the disease is its early detection and it is important for women to go in for regular check-ups," Dr Ranade said.

The help-line, meanwhile, is active from Thursday and patients/families can call 9860149145 for all queries related to the disease.

Dr Ranade said the help-line, which officially went live from Wednesday night, is receiving calls from patients, many of them related to management of the treatment itself. "Treating cancer is a huge challenge but it is also necessary to point out that early detection improves the chances of recuperation dramatically."

The ISMPO is, meanwhile, also considering putting up a comprehensive Web site on breast cancer so that patients can empower themselves in the fight against the disease instead of solely depending on the doctor.

"There is a crippling shortage of practicing medical oncologists in India. In fact, we only have approximately 100 practicing medical oncologists in India to handle the disease in such a huge population as against over 200 that a single oncology centre in the US has. Patients should then have additional sources to get information, emotional support and resources to handle the disease," Dr Ranade said.

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