New Delhi: Twenty percent of cancer patients who are admitted to hospital, Helplines run by NGOs To find out second opinion were under the age of 40, which shows an increase Cancer incidence between young peopleAccording to the organisation’s data, 1,368 calls were received between March 1 and May 15. Cancer Free India Foundationstarted by a group of oncologists,

The study revealed that 60 per cent of cancer patients under the age of 40 were men.

It also found that the most prevalent cases were Head and neck cancer (26 percent), followed by gastrointestinal cancer (16 percent). Breast Cancer (15 percent) and then blood cancer (9 percent)

A statement issued by the NGO said that the maximum number of calls came from Hyderabad, followed by Meerut, Mumbai and New Delhi.

A helpline number (93-555-20202) has been started for patients to get a free second opinion. It is operational from 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday.

Cancer patients can call the helpline number to speak directly with leading oncologists or even discuss their cancer treatment through a video call.

Dr Ashish Gupta, Principal Investigator and Senior Oncologist leading the Cancer Free India campaign, said since the launch of the helpline number it has proven to be a support system for cancer patients across India and almost hundreds of calls are received every day.

Dr Gupta said, “This study helps us adopt a more targeted cancer approach towards treatment and make India ‘cancer free’. We found that head and neck cancer is the most prevalent, which is almost completely preventable by lifestyle modifications, vaccination and screening strategies. For breast and colon cancer, there are very effective screening strategies to detect cancer at an early stage. Unfortunately, as India represents a large population, we found that about 2/3 of cancers are detected late, possibly due to low adoption of appropriate screening.”

The study also found that 27 per cent of the cases diagnosed in India are in stage 1 and 2 of cancer while 63 per cent of the cases are in stage 3 or 4. The most common question of cancer patients was for a second opinion and to confirm if their cancer treatment is correct and up-to-date. He said some people also check the latest treatment or drug availability for treating their respective cancer as new drugs are approved almost every week in cancer treatment.

He said that the second most common question we found was that patients were asking what stage their cancer was in, which shows the importance of education for cancer patients and the third question was that patients were asking about their family members, what they can do to prevent cancer, which shows the importance of cancer screening and awareness.

Dr Gupta said that the Cancer Free India campaign aims to reduce the incidence and impact of cancer on individuals and communities through education and early detection.

Further, the study revealed that 67 per cent of the cancer patients who reached out to the organisation were those who were getting cancer treatment from private hospitals while 33 per cent were those who were getting treatment from government hospitals.

Dr. Ashish Gupta further added, “Rising obesity rates in our country, changes in dietary habits, especially increased consumption of ultra-processed food, and sedentary lifestyle are also associated with higher rates of cancer. We must adopt a healthy lifestyle and avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption to prevent the risk of cancer in the younger generation.”

He said the helpline number will provide free consultation from leading oncologists, and provide vital guidance to patients grappling with the complexities of cancer diagnosis and treatment.