Governor launches Cancer Control Campaign

Tobacco related cancers in Kamrup district accounted for 50% in men and in women it was around 25% 

OUR BUREAU

GUWAHATI, Oct 6: Governor Banwarilal Purohit today launched the Cancer Control Campaign of Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati by releasing IEC materials in presence of doctors and prominent citizens of Guwahati. 

Information brochure for prevention and early detection of cancer highlights 9 warning sigls of cancer, risk factors and signs & symptoms for commonly encountered breast, cervix and head & neck cancers. 

Public will also be made aware about harmful effects of tobacco on health. 

Jeevanram Mungi Devi Charitable Trust has provided fincial assistance for the cancer control programme.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Amal Chandra Kataki, Director of BBCI said that lack of awareness is one of the key reasons for the late detection of cancers in the State, and educating the public with IEC material in simple and easily understandable language will go a long way in prevention & early detection of cancer.

Dr Kataki further appealed to the general public and the media to support the Cancer Prevention and Control initiative of BBCI wholeheartedly. 

On the same occasion, Sounds of Soul, a quarterly bulletin was also released by the Governor, which depicts few heartwarming brief rratives by cancer patients and survivors, and family members of cancer patients from different parts of the North East India. 

The Sounds of Soul bulletin has highlighted the various schemes of the Government for fincial assistance to cancer patients and the free treatment facility of BBCI. 

Governor Purohit also released the report of the Population Cancer Registry, Kamrup-Urban District for the year 2012-14. 

Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) of Kamrup (M) of ICMR was started in the year 2003 and since then, it has shown the incidences and prevalence of cancers, and mortality due to cancers in the population of Kamrup (M).  According to the latest report of PBCR-Kamrup (M), the incidence of cancer in Kamrup Urban District among men and women are 206 new cancer cases and 174 new cases per lakh of population, respectively. 

It has been observed from the report that the life time risk of a person living in the District to develop cancer is around 20%.  And, tobacco related cancers accounted for 50% of cancers in men, and in women it was around 25%. 

The leading cancer sites of the population of Kamrup (M) in men are esophagus, pharynx, lungs, oral cavity, and stomach. Amongst women, the leading sites of cancers are breast, esophagus, gall bladder, uterine cervix and ovary.

The Governor on behalf of Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Jeevan Ram Mungi Devi Charitable Trust, Matri Mandir, Guwahati and Lions Club of Guwahati Seva for their support to the Institute.