About National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS):
- It is a unique institution functioning as an apex body with the objective to foster and utilize academic excellence as its resource to meet medical and social goals.
- It was registered as the 'Indian Academy of Medical Sciences' on 21st April, 1961, under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
- It was renamed NAMS on 16th November, 1976.
- The academy has been recognised by the Government of India as a nodal agency for continuing education for medical and allied health professionals.
- It also advises the Government of India in matters of National Health Policy and Planning.
- NAMS encourages and sponsors nationwide Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes, symposia, workshops,
- It has made significant efforts to improve the reach of CME programmes by establishing tele-linkages between medical colleges, and it is also connected with the National Knowledge Network.
- The academy serves as a very important tool for dissemination of recent medical advances via journals, monographs,
- NAMS also bestows prestigious fellowships and awards upon eminent biomedical scientists in recognition of their outstanding contributions.
NAMS Task Force Report on Breast Cancer in India:
- India is recording nearly 200,000 new cancer cases each year.
- Sixty percent of the global population resides in Asia, which accounts for 50% of cancer cases and 58% of cancer-related deaths.
- India ranks third in accounting for cancer cases, following China and the United States of America.
- The projected cancer burden in India is estimated to reach 2.08 million by 2040, representing a 57.5% increase from 2020.
- In India, breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
- The proportion of patients diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age is notably higher in India when compared with high-income countries.
- Additionally, patients in India tend to present with later-stage disease compared to the West.
- More than 60% of patients in India present at Stage 3 or 4, while around 60% of the patients in the U.S. are diagnosed in situ or at Stage 1.
- It adds that more than 50% of patients in India experience a delay of over three months before seeking medical care.
- In India the survival rate for patients with breast cancer is lower compared to Western countries due to several factors, including the late-stage presentation, delayed initiation of definitive management, and inadequate or fragmented treatment.
