The Hindu : Kerala News : American Cancer Society to join hands with RCC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 20, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

American Cancer Society to join hands with RCC

C. Maya

Programmes for tobacco cessation and early detection

Team from the U.S.: Members of the American Cancer Society with the Director of the Regional Cancer Centre.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The American Cancer Society (ACS) will collaborate with the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) here in community intervention programmes for tobacco cessation and screening for early detection of breast cancer.

A six-member team of the ACS, one of the oldest and largest community-based voluntary health organisation in the U.S, expressed its desire to work closely with the RCC after visiting the institution and holding detailed discussion with the RCC authorities.

"In the area of cancer care, the RCC is on a par with the hospitals in the West and we see a lot of learning opportunities here. We are also looking at the possibilities of extending financial support to some of the research activities of RCC," Jerome W. Yates, the national vice-president (research) of ACS, told The Hindu .

The ACS is engaged in cancer research, prevention programmes and public education so that cancer does not become a major public health problem.

It also works towards strong anti-tobacco laws, early detection of cancer and improving access to palliative care for those in the advanced stage of the disease.

It also promotes similar activities in collaboration with other cancer-related organisations throughout the world.

ACS, with an annual budget of $900 million, has the largest source of private, non-profit cancer research funds in the U.S.

The team, which had also visited the Tata Memorial Cancer Research Institute in Mumbai, has suggested that frontline providers of cancer care like physicians, researchers, NGO activists and cancer survivors, in both countries come together for information sharing.

RCC's record

"RCC's record in managing oral and cervical cancer detection programmes is excellent. The low cost method of screening for cervical cancer — Colposcopy — is as effective as the PAP smear tests and has been a good learning experience for us," Stephen F. Sener, a breast cancer surgeon and the president of ACS, said.

The ACS team also pointed out that the RCC's integrated approach to cancer as a public health problem, through awareness creation, tobacco control programmes and early cancer detection provided one of the best community-based cancer control models

"Some of the common cancers like that of the breast, uterine cervix, mouth and the colon can be cured completely with less aggressive treatment, if we can detect the cancer early. In the U.S, about two-thirds of those afflicted by cancers survive because of early cancer screening. This is the message that should go out to the community," Dr. Sener added.

Shalini Vallabhan, Director of Asia Cancer Control Strategies, ACS, said that in the U.S, people went for early cancer screening on their own initiative and that physicians had little involvement in motivating patients for routine screening.

Lack of access to palliative care for those in the advanced stage of cancer was a major problem in India, Dr. Vallabhan pointed out.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala