Many types of cancer can be treated like a chronic disease and timely intervention can expand life and also improve the quality of life, doctors and cancer survivors told a programme on Friday.
Fifty-seven year old Arup Mukherjee was diagnosed with blood cancer in November 2017.
Mukherjee, a central government employee, went into severe depression for nearly six months till he forced himself out of that state.
Mukherjee, who has his wife and two sons in his family, was thinking that his time was limited and he must arrange everything for the family.
“One day I suddenly told myself that I have to stop thinking in this way. I never skip the treatment and go as per doctor’s advice. For the last one and a half years, I have been leading a normal life. I go to the office and also do domestic chores,” said Mukherjee, a resident of Taltala, who is undergoing treatment at Ruby General Hospital.
The hospital had organised a news conference on Friday where Mukherjee and another cancer survivor, Narayan Sardar, 42, told stories of how they overcame cancer and went back to normal lives.
Sardar, a resident of Subhasgram, was diagnosed with blood cancer two years ago. He is now back at running his tailoring shop and is the only earning member of the five-member family consisting of his mother, wife, a son and a daughter.
Soumya Mukherjee, a haemato oncologist with Ruby General Hospital, spoke about how early treatment can help. He advised people to not neglect some tell-tale signs.
“Signs like a gland that persists for more than two weeks, reduced appetite and weight loss, a persisting
low back pain, bleeding from the gum without any infection or injury and fever without any detectable cause for long are some signs that should not be neglected,” said Mukherjee.
“If treatment begins at the right time, patients with blood cancer can have increased life span and also a better quality of life,” Mukherjee said.