Cancer

• About:
  • It is a complex and broad term used to describe a group of diseases characterised by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body.
  • These abnormal cells, known as cancer cells, have the ability to invade and destroy healthy tissues and organs.
  • In a healthy body, cells grow, divide, and die in a regulated manner, allowing for the normal functioning of tissues and organs.
  • However, in the case of cancer, certain genetic mutations or abnormalities disrupt this normal cell cycle, causing cells to divide and grow uncontrollably.
• Breast Cancer
  • It is a disease in which abnormal breast cells grow out of control and form tumours. If left unchecked, the tumours can spread throughout the body and become fatal.
    • Breast cancer cells begin inside the milk ducts and/or the milk-producing lobules of the breast.
    • The earliest form (in situ) is not life-threatening. Cancer cells can spread into nearby breast tissue (invasion). This creates tumours that cause lumps or thickening.
    • Invasive cancers can spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs (metastasize). Metastasis can be fatal.
  • Treatment is based on the person, the type of cancer and its spread. Treatment combines surgery, radiation therapy and medications.
• Cervical Cancer:
  • Cervical cancer develops in a woman's cervix (the entrance to the uterus from the vagina).
  • Almost all cervical cancer cases (99%) are linked to infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
  • Two HPV types (16 and 18) are responsible for nearly 50% of high grade cervical pre-cancers.
  • Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally. About 90% of the new cases and deaths worldwide in 2020 occurred in low- and middle-income countries.

Silambam

• It is an ancient weapon-based martial art that emerged in Tamilakam, which is now the Tamil Nadu region of India. It is one of the oldest martial arts in the world.
• The term Silambam contains a meaning which itself reveals about the sport, silam stands for a ‘mountain’ and bam stands for bamboo which is the main weapon used in this form of martial arts.
• It is closely linked to the Kerala martial art kalaripayattu.

Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)

• It is a measure in monetary terms, the sum total volume of all finished goods and services produced during a given period of time, usually a year, within the geographical boundaries of the State, accounted without duplication.
• These estimates of the economy, over a period of time, reveal the extent and direction of the changes in the levels of economic development.
• It is classified under three broad sectors such as Primary sector, Secondary sector and Tertiary sector and is compiled economic activity wise as per the methodology prescribed by the National Accounts Division, National Statistical Office, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)

• PACS are village level cooperative credit societies that serve as the last link in a three-tier cooperative credit structure headed by the State Cooperative Banks (SCB) at the state level.
• Credit from the SCBs is transferred to the District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), which operate at the district level. The DCCBs work with PACS, which deal directly with farmers.
• PACSs provide short-term, and medium-term agricultural loans to the farmers for the various agricultural and farming activities.
• The first PACS was formed in 1904.