Many people detect cancer late

JAKARTA (JP): A medical expert urged people to have regular checkups for the early detection and treatment of cancer.

Director of Dharmais Cancer Hospital, Riwayat S, said here yesterday most people visit the hospital only to find that their cancer has already entered a critical stage.

"As a result, about 25 percent of the patients can not be cured," Antara quoted him as saying.

He said early detection means a greater chance of recovery. "If you feel there is something wrong with your body, go immediately and have your health checked," he said.

He said breast cancer topped the list of cases at Dharmais hospital with 1,033 patients while skin cancer was last with 50 patients.

He said the number of patients who are admitted for treatment has increased by 298, from 1,407 patients last year to 1,705 patients this year.

He said that over the years the hospital has campaigned to promote public awareness of cancer by holding seminars, disseminating information on the disease and training health personnel who work in regions outside the capital.

Experts said that at least one out of every 1,000 Indonesians are at risk of developing cancer every year.

The Indonesian Cancer Foundation said recently that cervical cancer was the most common in the country.

The foundation also said that cancer could strike anyone, but those over 40 are considered most susceptible, as are those who smoke, actively or passively. Active smokers are 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer and, once they have developed it, it is usually more difficult to treat.

Heavy drinkers also have a potential to develop cancer of the mouth, throat, and digestive tract. The odds are not good either for those who eat food with a high fat content. These people are at risk of breast, prostate and cervical cancer.

Early in May this year, the World Health Organization warned that chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, leading killers in rich countries, would strike hundreds of millions of people in developing nations in an unfolding global epidemic. (09)