Tamil Nadu govt's door-to-door cancer screening drive begins in Coimbatore city

Coimbatore: The state govt's door-to-door cancer screening drive commenced in the city on Monday to facilitate early detection and cure.

The screening would be done with the help of the women health volunteers. During the drive, the residents would be screened for oral, breast and cervix cancer. Those with symptoms would be referred to the urban primary health centres or health and wellness centres, whichever is closest to them.

According to an official source, both males and females above the age of 18 would be screened for oral cancer. The volunteers would check for symptomatic indications like mouth ulcers and white or red patches in the mouth. According to a corporation official, the target is to screen 13.7 lakh people for oral cancer in the city.

Women above the age of 30 would be, meanwhile, screened for breast and cervix cancer as well. A senior corporation officer said, "Those with symptoms like dimpling, lump or nipple discharge will be referred to the nearest urban primary health centre or the health and wellness centre for advanced breast cancer screening. And those with abnormal vaginal bleeding and unusual white discharge will be referred for advanced cervical cancer screening. For cervical screening, a speculum examination will be done at the urban primary health centres and the health and wellness centres, which are equipped with the machinery. Confirmed cases of cancer will be referred to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital."

He said any cancer identified in stages I and II were curable. The corporation is planning to screen six lakh women for breast and cervical cancer.