Cancer Awareness and Stigma in Rural Assam India: Baseline Survey of the Detect Early and Save Her/Him (DESH) Program.

Background: India has an estimated incidence of more than one million cancers annually. Breast, oral, and cervical cancers account for over one-third of newly diagnosed cases. With the introduction of pilot cancer screening programs in India, little is known about current sociocultural barriers that may hinder acceptance of screening and treatment.