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LEARN. CANCER BASICS

Understanding cancer,
without the fear

A diagnosis brings a flood of unfamiliar words. This page explains the basics in plain language — what cancer is, how it is found, and how it is treated. Nothing here is frightening, and nothing here replaces your doctor.

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1 in 9

people in India will develop cancer in their lifetime

14.6 lakh

new cases estimated in India in 2022

~40%

of cancers in India are still not diagnosed in time

Sources: ICMR–NCDIR, 2022; PRACHI cancer booklet.

THE ESSENTIALS

The healthy, normal cells in our body can sometimes begin to divide without control, turning into abnormal cells that form growths, or tumours. All these different kinds of growths are together called cancer.

Many cancers have the ability to spread from where they started to other parts of the body. This process is called metastasis.

Symptoms differ depending on which part of the body is affected. The signs below can be associated with cancer — though they are not caused only by cancer, and often have other, harmless explanations. See a doctor if any of them persists:

  • Ongoing tiredness
  • Unexpected weight change
  • A lump or swelling felt under the skin
  • Changes in skin colour — yellowing, darkening or redness
  • A sore that does not heal, or a mole or wart that changes
  • A long-lasting cough or difficulty breathing
  • Hoarseness of voice
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Long-lasting indigestion or discomfort after eating
  • Persistent fever, or heavy night sweats
  • Unexpected bleeding or bruising
  • Persistent muscle or joint pain
  • A change in bowel or bladder habits
  • An unexpected change in the breast

A single symptom rarely means cancer — but anything that does not settle within two to three weeks is worth showing a doctor. Early is always better.

RISK, AND REDUCING IT

Age. Cancer has no fixed age — some cancers appear in children and young adults — but because most cancers take years to develop, they are more common after 65.

Sex. Men and women have sex-specific organs (prostate; uterus and ovaries), which can develop their own cancers. Stomach, liver, bladder and blood cancers are seen more in men; breast and thyroid cancers more in women. Lung and large-bowel cancers are common in both.

Habits and lifestyle:

  • Tobacco — smoked and smokeless
  • Excessive alcohol
  • Too much sun exposure
  • Obesity
  • Unsafe sex (linked to some cancers)

Heredity. Only a small share of cancers are inherited. Where several generations of a family have had cancer, genetic testing can help. Importantly, carrying such a gene change does not mean cancer is certain — it means being watchful and getting regular check-ups.

Certain medical conditions and surroundings. A few conditions (for example, ulcerative colitis) slightly raise the risk of specific cancers, so anyone with them should stay in regular medical follow-up.

Not all cancer is preventable — but a large share is. The most powerful step, especially in India, is to avoid tobacco in every form: smoked and smokeless (gutka, khaini, masheri). Beyond that:

  • Limit alcohol — no level is established as safe for cancer risk
  • Eat well, stay active, and keep a healthy weight
  • Protect against known infections (such as hepatitis, and HPV through vaccination)
  • Protect your skin from excessive sun
  • Go for regular check-ups and recommended screening

Screening and a healthy lifestyle together can prevent a great many cancers, and catch others early.

Cancer is always a death sentence. Not true. Many cancers, found early, are very treatable — and survival keeps improving.

Cancer is contagious. No. You cannot catch cancer from another person.

Cancer only affects the old. It is more common with age, but it can occur at any age.

If it runs in the family, I will definitely get it. No. Most cancers are not inherited, and even a family history only means being watchful, not certain to fall ill.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Doctors use a combination of physical examination, imaging (such as ultrasound, mammography, CT or MRI), and laboratory tests. The certain way to confirm cancer is a biopsy — taking a small sample of the tissue and examining it under a microscope.

The grade describes how abnormal the cancer cells look and how quickly they are likely to grow. The stage describes how far the cancer has spread — from a small local growth to one that has reached other organs. Together they guide treatment and give a sense of what to expect.

The main treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation — used alone or together depending on the cancer, its stage, and the person. Newer approaches such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy are expanding the options. Your cancer team will explain what fits your situation.

Many cancers can be cured, especially when found early — which is exactly why awareness and screening matter so much. Others can be controlled for a long time. The outlook depends greatly on the type of cancer and how early it is caught.

Some cancer cells can break away from the original growth and travel through the blood or lymph to form new growths elsewhere in the body. This spread is called metastasis, and finding cancer before it spreads is a large part of why early detection saves lives.

Cancer can sometimes come back after treatment — this is called recurrence. It does not mean anything was done wrong, and there are treatment options if it happens. Regular follow-up after treatment is how a recurrence is caught early.

screening finds cancer early

Understanding cancer is the first step. The next is checking. PRACHI runs screening camps for breast, cervical and oral cancer in communities across Maharashtra and Goa.

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This page is general information adapted from PRACHI’s cancer guide. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for seeing a doctor. If you have symptoms or concerns, please consult a qualified physician.