Dhaka: Specialists on Sunday said cancer is not a single disease, rather it contains more than 200 diseases.

The cells of the human body revolt against themselves and start growing irregularly and uncontrollably at any part of in the body and gradually, unknown to the affected person spread rapidly.

They came up with these remarks at Ahsania Mission Cancer Hospital in the city marking the World Cancer Day, 2018.

The specialists also said that one-third of all cancer diseases are preventable, one-third cancer diseases can be cured if diagnosed at the initial stage and one-third terminal cancer diseases can be alleviated or the suffering eased to return a person to normal life through proper treatment.

Quoting International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), speakers said that in 2005, mortality rate due to cancer was 7.5pc, and in 2030 the rate would increase to 13pc.

Lung and mouth cancer causes the largest number of deaths due to cancer among men and breast and ovary cancer cause the largest number of deaths among females.

About 8-10 lakhs patients are suffering from cancer in Bangladesh, approximately 2 lakh more people are affected and about 1.5 lakh people die from this disease every year, they said, quoting the World Health Organization (WHO).

Professor Dr AMA Shariful Alam, Senior Consultant of Oncology department of Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital (AMCGH), presented this information at the programme.

Prof Dr Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, Director, Medical Services of AMCGH, delivered welcome speech while Professor Dr Abdur Rab, Vice- Chancellor, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) and Dr Jahidul Islam, a professor of Harvard University also spoke on the occasion.

Film actor Akbar Hossain Pathan (Faruq) was present as special guest and President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Kazi Rafiqul Alam presided over the ceremony.