<p>The success rate of cancer treatment in children has been increasing in the past few decades.<br /><br /></p>.<p>New technologies and a shift in approach in patient care has made the treatment easier and less troublesome. However, lack of services and resources in government hospitals makes it inaccessible to a lot of patients.<br /><br />"A study on survival rate in the United States gives encouraging figures. In 1975-77, 74 per cent of people suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma, one of the commonest among children, survived for five or more years.<br /><br />“In 1999-2005, the rate increased to 86 per cent. Similarly survival rate for leukemia has gone up from 35 per cent in late 70s to 54 per cent in last decade," said Dr G K Rath, head, Dr B R A Institute-Rotary Cancer Hospital (IRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences.<br /><br />He was speaking at a function organised by IRCH and NGO CanKids at AIIMS to observe International Childhood Cancer Day.<br />Doctors said patients should no more be scared of cancer as it has become increasingly curable, especially among children.<br /><br />Early detection helps<br />"It is a myth that children are at higher risk due to chemotherapy. Cancer can be fully cured among children, if treated at an early stage at the right place," said Dr Sameer Bakhshi, paediatric oncologist, AIIMS.<br /><br />The rate of cured children in India is lower than most western nations because of lack of awareness regarding symptoms.<br /><br />"There is no screening test for cancer among children. So if parents find their child continues to be ill for more than two weeks and no medicine is helping, then they should go for diagnosis of cancer. In many cases, parents find lymph while giving bath to the child and thus, realise that the child has cancer," said Dr Amita Mahajan, oncologist, Apollo Hospital.<br /><br />Dr Rath pointed out that 35-40 per cent cancer patients in Kerala approach hospitals when the disease is in its early stage. "This is primarily due to high rate of education there," he said. <br /><br />Dr Bakhshi said treatment has improved manifold for cancer among children as better drugs and other supportive-care are available today. <br /><br />"We are doing 10 transplants for relapsed cancer. Radiotherapy techniques have improved. Earlier radiation was given at a large body part; now it can be given only to specific nodes, making side-effects minimum for the child,” said Dr Bakhshi.<br /><br />Doctors said the approach towards treatment has also changed. For example, earlier the leg would be amputated if a lymph was found. <br /><br />Today, such combination of therapies is given in which the cancer is treated without making the patient lose a leg. However, what plagues the health system in Delhi is lack of resources to make use of available expertise and latest technology.<br /><br />Less number of beds<br />"The bed strength in cancer department is very low. Even though most of the patients can be treated in the daytime and sent back by evening, there are not enough beds for serious cases," said a senior doctor. IRCH has 182 beds though it receives 350 new cases every week.<br /><br />There is also a shortage of equipment. Patients are being given dates as far as May. <br />A specialist claimed this can lead to increase in the size of cancer nodes, making patients' condition even worse.<br /><br />"What is more appalling is that patients come to AIIMS after having visited other leading government hospitals in Delhi and not finding machines working," said the doctor.<br /></p>
<p>The success rate of cancer treatment in children has been increasing in the past few decades.<br /><br /></p>.<p>New technologies and a shift in approach in patient care has made the treatment easier and less troublesome. However, lack of services and resources in government hospitals makes it inaccessible to a lot of patients.<br /><br />"A study on survival rate in the United States gives encouraging figures. In 1975-77, 74 per cent of people suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma, one of the commonest among children, survived for five or more years.<br /><br />“In 1999-2005, the rate increased to 86 per cent. Similarly survival rate for leukemia has gone up from 35 per cent in late 70s to 54 per cent in last decade," said Dr G K Rath, head, Dr B R A Institute-Rotary Cancer Hospital (IRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences.<br /><br />He was speaking at a function organised by IRCH and NGO CanKids at AIIMS to observe International Childhood Cancer Day.<br />Doctors said patients should no more be scared of cancer as it has become increasingly curable, especially among children.<br /><br />Early detection helps<br />"It is a myth that children are at higher risk due to chemotherapy. Cancer can be fully cured among children, if treated at an early stage at the right place," said Dr Sameer Bakhshi, paediatric oncologist, AIIMS.<br /><br />The rate of cured children in India is lower than most western nations because of lack of awareness regarding symptoms.<br /><br />"There is no screening test for cancer among children. So if parents find their child continues to be ill for more than two weeks and no medicine is helping, then they should go for diagnosis of cancer. In many cases, parents find lymph while giving bath to the child and thus, realise that the child has cancer," said Dr Amita Mahajan, oncologist, Apollo Hospital.<br /><br />Dr Rath pointed out that 35-40 per cent cancer patients in Kerala approach hospitals when the disease is in its early stage. "This is primarily due to high rate of education there," he said. <br /><br />Dr Bakhshi said treatment has improved manifold for cancer among children as better drugs and other supportive-care are available today. <br /><br />"We are doing 10 transplants for relapsed cancer. Radiotherapy techniques have improved. Earlier radiation was given at a large body part; now it can be given only to specific nodes, making side-effects minimum for the child,” said Dr Bakhshi.<br /><br />Doctors said the approach towards treatment has also changed. For example, earlier the leg would be amputated if a lymph was found. <br /><br />Today, such combination of therapies is given in which the cancer is treated without making the patient lose a leg. However, what plagues the health system in Delhi is lack of resources to make use of available expertise and latest technology.<br /><br />Less number of beds<br />"The bed strength in cancer department is very low. Even though most of the patients can be treated in the daytime and sent back by evening, there are not enough beds for serious cases," said a senior doctor. IRCH has 182 beds though it receives 350 new cases every week.<br /><br />There is also a shortage of equipment. Patients are being given dates as far as May. <br />A specialist claimed this can lead to increase in the size of cancer nodes, making patients' condition even worse.<br /><br />"What is more appalling is that patients come to AIIMS after having visited other leading government hospitals in Delhi and not finding machines working," said the doctor.<br /></p>
