Today, in the auditorium of Shri Ram College, Muzaffarnagar, the Department of Biosciences organized National Cancer Awareness Day under the joint aegis of UNICEF and District Hospital Muzaffarnagar, in which the topic of the program was the causes and treatment of cancer.
The program was inaugurated by lighting the lamp jointly by the chief guest Dr. Satakshi, Medical Officer, District Hospital Muzaffarnagar and special guest Tarannum, District Coordinator NCPBMH and Block Coordinator Sandeep Pundir and Dr. Prerna Mittal, Principal, Shri Ram College, Dr. Girendra Gautam, Director Shri Ram College of Pharmacy and Dean Academic Dr. Vineet Kumar Sharma, Dr. Pooja Tomar, Dean Basic Science, Dr. Shweta Rathi, Head of Department Home Science and Dr. Naeem, Head of Department Agricultural Science.
Present at the event, Dr. Satakshi, the chief guest of the program, explained through her PowerPoint presentation that cancer can affect anyone, but its incidence varies by race and gender. According to the 2022 Annual Report on Cancer, the disease affects men slightly more than women. It affects people over 60 years of age more than any other age group. Cancer symptoms vary from person to person, depending on the type of cancer and its severity. In some cases, cancer can cause additional organ-specific symptoms. A tumor in your breast can spread to your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. In some types of blood cancer, your bone marrow produces abnormal blood cells that grow uncontrollably. Eventually, these abnormal cells overwhelm normal blood cells. He also explained that if you smoke or use tobacco, try to quit and include physical activity in your daily routine to help prevent cancer.
Following this, Tarannum, the special guest at the event, said that therapeutic cancer vaccines train the body to defend itself against its own damaged or cancerous cells. All vaccines work by training your immune system to protect your body from foreign invaders or abnormal cells that pose a threat. There are two main types of cancer vaccines: preventive cancer vaccines and therapeutic cancer vaccines. These vaccines enable the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Therapeutic cancer vaccines contain specific antigens combined with another immune system trigger called an adjuvant. Most people are familiar with preventive vaccines, which are the more traditional vaccine type. They boost your body's natural ability to defend against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. Well-known examples include the flu shot and the measles vaccine.
Dr. Prerna Mittal, Principal, Shri Ram College, who was present at the event, said that to prevent cancer, avoid tobacco and alcohol, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and protect your skin from the sun. Additionally, maintain weight control and avoid pollution. Don't ignore any unusual changes and get regular checkups.
Dr. Vipin Kumar Saini, Head of the Department of Biosciences, Shri Ram College, who was also present at the event, said that cancer cells produce molecules that suppress the immune response. Even if a vaccine activates immune cells, those immune cells may not be able to enter the tumor area. And even if they do enter, they may be quickly suppressed. He also explained that tumors can be very large. Larger tumors contain more immune-suppressive cells, which can negate the power of activated immune cells to attack them. Because of this, vaccines can be combined with other treatments.
Following this, Dr. Vineet Kumar Sharma, Dean Academic, stated that some people have weakened immune systems. Elderly individuals and many others, especially those with cancer, may not respond well to the vaccine. Even if immune cells receive a vaccine signal, they may not mount a strong enough attack.
The program was primarily facilitated by Dr. Vipin Kumar Saini, Head of the Department of Biosciences, and lecturers: Vikas Tyagi, Dr. Bushra Akil, Ankit Kumar, Shalini Mishra, Shaba Rana, Zehra Hussaini, Sachin Kumar, Maulana Salman, Ayushi Pal, Tanu Tyagi, Divya Patiyal, Subodh Kumar, and Pinku Kumar.