Apollo Cancer Centres Launches Save My Stomach

News Desk, News Nation 360 : Apollo Cancer Centres (ACCs), India's top cancer treatment institution, has introduced 'Save My Stomach' (SMS), an early detection program for stomach cancer. The campaign aims to raise national awareness about timely screening and precise diagnosis, ultimately improving survival rates. Often referred to as a "silent killer," stomach cancer generally manifests symptoms only in its advanced stages, emphasising the essential importance of early care. As per GLOBOCAN 2020, stomach cancer is the fifth most common cancer globally and notably ranks sixth in the country, with an incidence rate of 4.5%. The incidence in Eastern India is higher among males, as depicted by male-to-female ratios of 2.3:1 in Mizoram and 3.3:1 in Kashmir, thus indicating a serious need for targeted awareness and early screening. The Save My Stomach (SMS) program is a systematic, early detection-based program focused on high-risk groups like men above 60, chronic gastritis, Helicobacter pylori infection, obesity, smoking habits, pernicious anaemia, and intake of high volumes of salted or pickled foods. The SMS campaign includes structured screening through diagnostic endoscopy and biopsy, to diagnose stomach cancer in earlier stages of the disease when curative interventions are still possible. Early diagnosis through SMS has the potential to preclude the need for systemic chemotherapy or major surgery; this can significantly improve quality of life and reduce financial burdens. This initiative underlines ACCs’ commitment to the cause of prevention-led cancer control and countrywide education on early detection for better public health outcomes. Adding to the urgency, Dr Supratim Bhattacharyya, Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgeon, Apollo Cancer Centre, Kolkata, noted that symptoms such as chronic heartburn, indigestion, or unexplained bloating should not be disregarded, especially in people with long-term gastritis, H. pylori infection, or a family history of stomach cancer. These are sometimes the first warning flags we overlook. The Apollo Cancer Centres' 'Save My Stomach' campaign aims to urge people to get timely screening. A simple endoscopy can diagnose stomach cancer at a treatable stage, when survival rates are much greater.

Pic - Courtesy