VIJAYAWADA: Cancer is curable if it is detected at an early stage. The cost of treatment will also decrease by 49% if breast and cervical cancers are detected at an early stage, said Dr Nori Dattatreyudu, Cancer Specialist and Advisor (Cancer) to the State government. He met Minister for Health Vidadala Rajini here on Monday and discussed measures taken in the State to detect the cancer symptoms among patients early.
He opined that the cost of breast cancer treatment could be limited to nearly Rs 1 lakh with early detection and the chance of recovery rate is 99%. Hence, the government has been moving ahead with a motto to detect the disease early. A special system has been put in place and 60 pages of documentation developed to analyse the entire data of cancer treatment through Aarogyasri, he said.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has initiated several measures to check the incidence of cancer. Now, patients need not go to neighbouring States for cancer treatment as a cancer institute with the support of Tata Institute has come up in Tirupati, he added.
Rajini said the government has planned to create cancer awareness among the public in a big way, besides making arrangements for screening at village and ward clinics. The family physician concept is being introduced with an aim to combat cancer. Linac machines will be set up in all the medical colleges, she said.