MUMBAI, 8 APRIL

More than 13,500 women in Hingoli district of Maharashtra were found with suspected symptoms of different types of cancer during a drive conducted by the local administration, a top official said on Tuesday.

The drive was named 'Sanjivani Abhiyan' aimed at early screening and diagnosis of cancer, collector Abhinav Goel of Hingoli district in Marathwada region told PTI.

During the exercise, around 7,000 women were found with suspected symptoms of cervical cancer, around 3,500 with suspected symptoms of breast cancer and 2,000 with suspected symptoms of oral cancer in addition to a few other types of this disease, he said.

"With the help of expert doctors, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers were trained with a questionnaire in Marathi language about symptoms of different types of cancer. The ASHA workers reached out to nearly 3.5 lakh women in the district during the campaign which began on International Women's Day on 8 March," he said.

"Out of the 3.5 lakh women, over 13,500 women were found to have suspected cancer symptoms," he said.

Goel said the first phase of the screening was over and further tests would be carried out.

"We will carry out further tests on these women free of cost at rural hospitals and primary health centres as per protocol," he added.

Goel said during his earlier stint as Latur district collector, he had carried out a pilot project wherein few patients in pre-cancer stage were detected after biopsy.

"My focus has always been early screening and early diagnosis," he said.

Cancer is a disease characterised by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue.