Cancer is an expensive disease to treat. While the increasing disease burden is a concern, the economic burden is equally worrisome given that the treatment is among the most expensive compared to other diseases, said Senior Manager, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), Vijayawada branch-I Ramalingeswara Rao.
Speaking at a mega medical camp on ‘prevention of cancer’, organised by members of Open Heart Social Organisation and Charitable Trust, in collaboration with Manipal Hospital at the LIC office on Besant Road, Mr. Rao complimented the organisation for its service activities and said such camps would be of immense help in spreading awareness about the disease.
The camp was visited by 110 men and 155 women who underwent cancer detection tests. Addressing them, Dr. P. Nagamani from the Cancer Department of Manipal Hospital, said cancer was a genetic disease.
Further elaborating, she said it was caused by changes in genes that controlled the way cells grew and multiplied. “Cells are the building blocks of your body. Each cell has a copy of your genes, which act like an instruction manual,” she explained.
She said DNA changes, whether caused by a random mistake or by a carcinogen, could happen throughout one’s lives and even in the womb. While most genetic changes weren’t harmful on their own, an accumulation of genetic changes over many years could turn healthy cells into cancerous cells. The vast majority of cancers occurred by chance as a result of this process over time, she said.
Founder and Managing Trustee of the charitable trust R. Nandakishor said the organisation had been reaching out to the needy in the society- the poor, children, elderly, women, widows, disabled and students with financial assistance.
He expressed gratitude to the Manipal Hospital management for collaborating for a good cause.
