Oncology or Cancer speciality in medicine has made great strides. The common perception of the C word has not changed but the Cancer Phobia has only increased with time. In 1960, the five-year survival rate (in oncology and haematology the percentage of patients who survive for five years is taken as a measure) was around 10 % which today is more than 60 % which means 60 out of 100 patients would live after five years.
Many of them could get cured too depending on the stage, type, associated problems and condition of patient (performance status in medical lingo) and also the centre and skill where the treatment is given as oncology today has become a very specialised field. A lot of money goes into research into new molecules to combat types of cancer and behind it are hard work, and hard funding to achieve results, approval of drugs by bodies like the Federal drug authority USA which…
