Mizoram recorded with highest cancer cases in the entire country

Guwahati: Mizoram has recorded with the highest cancer cases in the entire country which has been disclosed on the occasion of World Cancer Day observed on February 4.

State Nodal Officer for non-communicable diseases, Dr. Eric Zomawia on Monday disclosed that 4656 new cases are detected in three years between 2012-2014.

Dr. Zomawia said that according to Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCR) report in 2016, at least 2176 people including 830 females have died due to cancer between 2012 and 2014 in the state and that the average deaths per year is 711. She further informed that there are 4656 new cases of cancer with 2089 number of females and 2567 numbers of male.

According to reports, there are 1552 new cancer cases detected each year in Mizoram.

Dr. Zomawia also informed that Mizoram holds top position in cancer across all sites for male and female but it records highest in tongue cancer in male, lung cancer in both male and female, stomach cancer in male and female, hypopharynx cancer in male and gland cancer which is seen mostly in male. The state also topped the list in cervix cancer in female.

It has been informed that stomach cancer was the common cases in 2012-14 with 710 cases followed by lung cancer at 688 cases.

Six districts of Mizoram-Aizawl, Champai, Kolasib Lunglei, Mamit and Sherchhip– are among the ten districts of India with the highest cancer incidence among men. Four Mizoram districts–Aizawl, Kolasib, Mamit and Serchhip are among the top ten districts in India in cancer incidence among women.

He further emphasized that extensive consumption of tobacco (which contributed 30 per cent), coupled with unhealthy food items such as smoked meat and fermented soyabean and pork are the main factors for high cancer rate in Mizoram.

Tobacco consumption is also highly prevalent among Mizo women, with about 62 percent of the fairer sex consuming tobacco in various forms, mostly chewing. Besides, rampant tobacco use, various factors including food habits such as regular diet of fermented and smoked meat and a huge number of people chewing ‘paan’ are the main causes of this unenviable position in the national cancer registry.

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