Concerned over the spread of cancer at an alarming rate due to changing lifestyles, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday called for setting up of more cancer treatment units in rural areas to fight the dreaded disease.

"While cancer hospitals and treatment facilities are available in many urban areas, we need to establish cancer units for early detection, diagnosis and treatment in rural areas," said Naidu after unveiling a new state cancer institute block at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology here.