A senior health official has allayed fears about cancer, saying that it is neither hereditary nor infectious.

Dr. Ali Al-Singithi, oncologist and consultant on blood disorders, was speaking to callers during a phone-in service conducted by the Ministry of Health to mark World Cancer Day last week.

The phone-in service was part of an awareness program conducted by the National Center for Media and Health Promotion of the Ministry of Health, which hosts a group of health specialists, who advise people on the prevention and treatment of cancer cases in the Kingdom.

The service was available on the toll free number 8002494444 during working hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. Director of the National Center for Media and Health Awareness Amal bint Muawiya Abu Jedaiye handled the inquiries including the different types of cancer. People also contacted the health officials concerned through twitter@saudimoh.

The ministry conducts awareness campaigns from time to time to educate the masses on various topics of health interests. The oncologists and specialists on blood related diseases enlightened the callers on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer diseases.

Allaying fears about the status of cancer patients, Al-Singithi said that it is a common misconception that the disease could spread to other people and that it is hereditary. “About 90 percent of cancer incidences are due to non-genetic factors,” he stressed. However, he said that the affected patient should be treated well and be given confidence through proper counseling.

Quoting WHO reports, he pointed out that there were 17,522 cancer patients in the Kingdom in 2012. Of them, 9,134 died.

He said early detection could prevent cancers of the breast, colon and prostrate. “Modern medicines ensure a 90 percent cure rate in prostrate cancer and a 100 percent cure rate in colon and breast cancer if detected early,” he noted.

He also said that it is not a terminal disease. “About 60 percent of cancer patients live with the disease and lead a normal life,” he said.

“These notions must be cleared by those dealing with the disease,” he said, adding that the media could play a positive role in creating public awareness of the disease and how patients should be treated at home and in hospitals.

He also said that the medics, paramedics, relatives and well-wishers of the cancer patient should play a responsible role. “The patient should not only be looked after well, but also be given hope for the future,” he said, adding that it is the collective effort of these people which would give the patient hope.

Dr. Saud Al-Harbish, consultant on blood disorders, said people above 40 years of age should undergo these tests regularly to detect any cancerous attack.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease among women. He pointed out that 95 percent of breast cancer incidences among women could be cured if detected early.

Stressing the importance of timely medical check-ups, he advised women to take a mammogram on reaching 40 years of age.