 Hello everyone, I am Dr. Smita Srinukumar, I am a surgical oncologist and a peritorial surface oncologist practicing in Pune. Today we are celebrating National Cancer Awareness Day. This is a very important day that we celebrate in the memory of Madam Curie who was a radiation oncologist specialist. We need to be aware of cancer because it is fast growing not only in our country but also in the entire world. Every year in our country we see nearly 1 million cancer cases, new cancer cases and 50% of these cancer cases are diagnosed in the late stage. Now why is this important and why is this worrisome? Because cancer if detected early can be cured. This is important and how is cancer going to be detected early? It is when we are aware of the signs and symptoms, we are aware of what causes cancer, we are aware of the facilities that are available for cancer. So staying aware, knowing with specialists to approach with the necessary tests and symptoms. Knowing about cancer is important because if cancer detected early can be highly curable and it can be completely treated. And how is one going to be aware about cancer detection? This is going to be possible only if one knows the signs and symptoms, knows which appropriate expert or specialist one should approach in order to understand better about this deadly disease. There are a lot of myths involved surrounding that cancer. One of them is that cancer is fatal. Cancer is highly curable if it can be detected early. So staying aware early detection are the important ways in which we can beat cancer. There are various ways in which one can beat cancer, there are various ways in which one can stay aware. One of them is inculcating or developing a healthy health care attitude, various ways in which one can be cancer aware. One of them is developing or inculcating a health awareness or a health discipline. So regular health checkups involving in or engaging in screening programs being aware what screening test is available and what screening test is appropriate for a given age and given cancer helps to detect cancer early. So in our country and all across the world breast cancer is the commonest cancer among women and oral cavity cancer and lung cancer are the commonest cancer among men. So there are certain behavioural, environmental and genetic causes that contribute to cancer. Understanding these causes, controlling them and detecting the symptoms that may be directed towards cancer is very important for early detection and is very important for identifying and treating cancer. Common screening tests are available for common cancers such as mammographies for breast cancers, ultrasonographies of the breast which is indicated in younger women, mammographies are indicated in women of more than 45-50 years of age, perhaps we are examinations are very important to detect early cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is an important cause of mortality in our country because most of these cancers are detected in the late stages and this is a highly curable cancer because if detected early the treatment is extremely simple and the survival outcome is much much better if it is detected in the advanced stages. There are other screening tests like prostate-specific antigen test for prostate cancer and a lot of CT scans, colonoscopies for rectal and colon cancers. These tests were applied at frequent intervals in normal individuals. So an individual who comes as a part of normal hair checkups must subject themselves to these tests at regular intervals in order to detect any changes over a period of time. This helps us to detect cancer, detect any changes in these organs at an early stage and helps us to cure cancer if detected. So stay informed, meet the right expert, diagnose and detect cancer early and beat cancer. Thank you.