By Jyothsna Manikkath
World Cancer Day was celebrated earlier this month (Feb 4) to raise awareness and recognize those who are valiantly fighting this disease. As per a recent WHO report, more than 9 million people died from cancer in the year 2018 itself, making it the second leading cause of death worldwide! While such statistics may not be new, it must be noted that this figure is partly because of ignorance about the disease and subsequent late diagnosis. A variety of lifestyle and genetic factors are implicated in the incidence of cancer. This would imply that at least some cancers may be preventable. Almost 4% of cancers are now linked to obesity, with the numbers set to rise based on current trends. Obesity itself has seen ‘steep increases’, especially in lower- and middle-income nations, possibly due to adoption of ‘Western lifestyle’, with high-energy but nutrition-poor food, and lesser physical activity.
We pharmacists have a major role in building a future without cancer. As the role of pharmacists is continually evolving, dispensing medication may no longer remain the most important function of this profession. Pharmacists, particularly the ones who work in community settings, are some of the most accessible healthcare professionals. This direct patient-engagement enables them to integrate patient-care across the healthcare system. Pharmacists can counsel patients to promote healthy eating and physical activity, raise awareness and instruct people on cancer screening and detection and urge people to quit smoking. This, along with monitoring patient medication profiles and chartering cost-effective medication plans, can bring about a transformational change in disease prognosis.
For pharmacists, being vigilant and paying attention to your patients’ experience with taking the medication can go a long way in finding new uses for existing drugs, as with the case of metformin. Recent research has established that this commonly used antidiabetic agent is linked to lower incidence of cancer. While diabetes itself may contribute to higher cancer risk, epidemiological evidence from the last few years indicates that metformin has a direct antitumor effect. As new drug discovery is waging a continuous war with regulatory approval systems worldwide, repurposing, or finding new uses for existing drugs becomes a life-savior for drugs themselves!
From the heartwarming and inspiring account of pharmacist Andrea Cusack who did not let the recent polar vortex stop her from delivering medicines to patients in Michigan, to the ones working relentlessly in research, regulatory and policy-making, pharmacists have proven time and again, that they are indispensable to the health of people. My message to all pharmacists out there — Be vigilant! Be passionate! Be inspirational!
References:
1. www.who.int
2. Sung H, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Pearson-Stuttard J, Islami F, Fedewa SA, Goding Sauer A, Shuval K, Gapstur SM, Jacobs EJ, Giovannucci EL, Jemal A. Global patterns in excess body weight and the associated cancer burden. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018 (In press)
3. Fuming Zi, Huapu Zi, Yi Li, Jingsong He, Qingzhi Shi, Zhen Cai. Metformin and cancer: An existing drug for cancer prevention and therapy. Oncol Lett. 2018; 15(1): 683–690
