ABSTRACT:
A prospective observational study was carried out in an oncology department of a tertiary care hospital, to evaluate the sociodemographics and risk factors of cancer over a period of 6 months. A total of 120 cancer patients participated in the study. Out of 120 cancer patients, 50 were male and 70 were female. Most of the patients were found to be in the age group of 60-70 years (36%) in males and 40-50 years (26%) in females.The most common cancer was found to be breast cancer(23.3%) followed by cervix (10.83%) lung (8.3%), uterus (6.6%), bladder and tongue (4.16%), throat (3%), bone(1.6%), esophagus and endometrium (3.33%), acute leukemia, brain, buccal mucosa, colorectal, colon, fallopian tube, intestine and ovary (0.83%). The prescribed drugs for cancer patients were avastatin (28%), fluorouracil (26%), dexamethasone (66%), bondronate (18%), nerdoxa (14%), anticoagulant– heparin (84%), antiulcer drugs–pantoprazole (100%), anesthesia (44%), and antineoplastic–neomycin (38%) in male patients. The recommended anticancer drugs for female patients were avastatin (31.42%), fluorouracil (21.42%), dexamethasone (15.71%), bondronate (14.2 %), nerdoxa (41.4%), anticoagulant–heparin (70%), antiulcer drugs–pantoprazole (100%), anesthesia (22.8%), and antineoplastic–bleomycin (32.8%). The study concluded that there is a need for public awareness programmes about the cancer and its risk factors, early detection, prevention and its management.