Metropolis Healthcare presents findings on Cancer Incidence in 2015

World Cancer Day Special– February 4th, 2016

Hyderabad, February 3^rd , 2016: Cancer is a major public health concern in India, as 6% of all deaths in India are due to cancers which contribute to 8% of global cancer mortality.The dreaded disease often attacks without warning. Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Environmental factors, lifestyle, genes are some of the cause for cancer.

Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Most treatment plans may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. Some may involve hormone therapy, biologic therapy, or stem cell transplantation.

Globally, higher incidence of Cancer is observed in the head and neck region in men and cervix and breast for women. In order to understand the incidence of Cancer in India, as the World Cancer Day is approaching (February 4^th, 2016), Metropolis conducted a comprehensive study on 47,995 Histology samples for a period of one year to understand the pattern of incidence of various organ cancers.

Below is a brief overview of our findings across the nation

Of 47,995samples that were referred to Metropolis Healthcare Ltdin 2015, 4416 samples were found to be positive for cancer.

Findings:

• 2% positivity was noted in all surgical pathology specimens submitted for evaluation
• Over 16.08% of samples were in the Breast Category and 12.70 % belonged to the Lip Oral Cavity category.
• Cancers of colorectum and cervix uteri contributed to 7.5, 7.1% respectively

Signs and symptoms caused by cancer vary depending on the type of cancer.Some symptoms include a new lump, abnormal bleeding,a prolonged cough, and unexplained weight loss, changes in bowel or bladder habits.

Commenting on the study, Dr. Kirti Chadha, Divisional Head Oncology (Group) & Surgical Pathology (Mumbai), “Accurate and early diagnosis of Cancer paves the way for an efficient and successful treatment.It is also important to provide conclusive and personalized diagnosis to each patient. This makes it imperative to identify molecular targets to aid personalized therapy for which Metropolis Healthcare carried out cost effective NCCN/ASCO/CAP based reflex testing on every patient referred to us.This is a kind of revolution in cancer diagnosis as both the costs and reporting time is reduced by half.”

The earlier the cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the chance of it being cured.Cancer diagnosis begins with a thorough physical examination and a complete medical check-up. Early detection through screening is useful for all types of cancer. Every individual needs to be fully aware of their health status and go for regular check-ups.

According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, around 60 – 80 % cancer cases in India are diagnosed late and 60% of patients do not have access to quality diagnostic and treatment. The doctor patient ratio is 1 in 2000 coupled with disproportionate skilful manpower and technology in India with cancer specialists, trained staff and specialized cancer centers available in very few cities across India.

Some tips for cancer prevention

• Physically active for at least 30 minutes every day
• Avoid sugary drinks, and limit consumption of high-calorie foods, especially those low in fiber and rich in fat or added sugar
• Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes (such as beans
• Limit consumption of red meats (including beef, pork, and lamb) and avoid processed meats
• If you drink alcohol, limit your daily intake to two drinks for men and one drink for women.
• Limit consumption of salty foods and food processed with salt (sodium).
• Mothers should exclusively breastfeedtheir babies for up to six months
• After treatment, cancersurvivors should follow the doctors recommendations for cancer prevention and regular monitoring and undergoing routine and preventive tests is must

About Metropolis Healthcare Ltd

At Metropolis, what we believe is what we say and what we say is what we do. Being empathetic to our customers and being committed to their needs is in our DNA. Metropolis has grown to harness a culture that is open, synergistic, progressive and scientific in nature.

We are the Pathology Specialists delivering over 30 million tests a year, catering to more than 10,000 Laboratories, Hospitals, Nursing homes and 2,00,000 Consultants. With 34 years of experience in delivering accurate reports, Metropolis has earned the reputation of being India’s most respected and only multinational chain of diagnostic centers with presence in UAE, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius and Ghana.

Driven to make a difference, our wide network includes 130 state-of-art Laboratories across India with over 1000 collection centers, processing over 4500 varieties of tests and supported by an efficient team of more than 3500 people. Equipped with cutting edge technology, innovative work equipment, expansive logistics network and rigorous processes, Metropolis ensures and delivers precision and accuracy in every single test; each time, every time.

In the last 10 years, Metropolis has expanded into new service lines like Clinical Trials, Hospital Lab Management, Home Health Services, Preventive Health Check-ups and Corporate & Wellness Solutions. Metropolis is at the forefront in adopting cutting edge technologies and services that contribute new revenue streams and has positioned the company on the pedestal it is today.

Today, we are one of the few laboratories that has received the CAP (College of American Pathologists), accreditation, the global gold standard in Laboratory Accreditation. We have also received the NABL Accreditation (National Accreditation Board for testing and Calibration Laboratories). In addition, we also adhere to CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) program and follow the guidelines laid by GCP and GLP. Our unit in South Africa is accredited by SANAS (South African National Accreditation System is the only accreditation body approved by South African Government).

At Metropolis, we believe in unveiling the inner health of individuals and this motto extends to our corporate social responsibility activities as well. Giving back to the society is embedded in the value system of Metropolis and we believe and aim to bring about a positive change in the nation. Metropolis has been at the forefront in conducting impactful camps and driving numerous workshops for different sections of the society for the past 3 decades. We partner with societies, corporates, educational institutions, government bodies, NGOs, wellness foundations and a host of other organisations to make a difference to the lives we touch. Our camps and awareness workshops emphasize on preventive healthcare and early screening of diseases. Some of our most recent associations include Epilepsy Foundation, Hep Free India, Mumbai Traffic Police, Kishori Foundation, Children of Blind School and JeevanJyot Cancer Trust.

Metropolis has been awarded numerous accolades like the ‘Best Diagnostic Company of the year’ by Modern Medicare in 2006 and ‘Best Diagnostic Company of the Year’ in 2010 by Frost & Sullivan. Metropolis was also bestowed with ‘Best IT Integration in Customer Service Management’ at the e-Health World Expo 2011. Metropolis was also honoured with the ‘Quality Brand Award’ by NEHRDO in 2012. Metropolis won the ‘CMO Asia Award’ for Best IT practices in Healthcare in 2012. Metropolis recently bagged the ‘India’s most promising brand award’ at Global Indian Excellence Summit 2014 held in London.

Metropolis Healthcare is led by Ameera Shah, Managing Director & CEO. An International & National Award winner, she was conferred with ‘The Young entrepreneur of the Year Award’ by GE in 2006 and ‘The Young Achiever of the Year Award’ at the CMO Asia Awards in 2011. She was also the recipient of the prestigious ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award’ in 2011 organised by Entrepreneur India and Bloomberg. She has been honoured with ‘Exemplary Women Leadership award’ at the World Women Leadership and Congress awards 2014.  Recently she has been chosen as one of the most respected leaders under 40 years by Economic Times & Spencer Stuart (2014). Metropolis recently being awarded “Diagnostic Services Company of the year” at Vccircle Healthcare awards 2015.