Cancer incidence: Kamrup metro ranks 4th highest in India

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, May 21: In a news that could alarm the State, Kamrup metro district has recorded the fourth highest incidence of cancer in the country. This has emerged in the latest report of the Population Based Cancer Registry on incidence and pattern of cancer under tiol Cancer Registry Programme of ICMR released recently at New Delhi.

The rate of incidence in Kamrup metro is 206/100,000 among males. Incidence of cancer among females in the district is third highest in the country at 165/100,000.

Cancer of hypopharynx, mouth and tongue in females in Kamrup metro district is first, third and fourth highest in the country.  Similarly, cancer of hypopharynx in males is second highest in the country.

 Cancer of oesophagus in females is third highest in the country.  Cancer of gall bladder in both males and females is highest, cancer of prostate is second highest and cancer of ovary is third highest in the country, the report stated.  

Among males, 30 percent of cancer in India are tobacco-related whereas at Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute it is as high as 56 percent and 53.2 percent in Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh.  

The highest age adjusted incidence rate (271/100,000) of cancer of all atomical sites among males is seen in Aizawl district in Mizoram and among females in Papumpare district (249/100,000) of Aruchal Pradesh.  

Cancer of the cervix is the leading site of cancer in rural areas in Barshi district of Maharashtra, as well as in the states of Mizoram, Tripura and galand.   

The estimated total burden of cancer is around 14.5 lakh new cases in the year 2016; it is projected to rise to 17.3 lakh new cases in 2020.  Approximately 1.5 lakh new cases of breast cancer have been detected in the country, followed by 1.14 lakh lung cancer cases every year.  

Dr. Amal Chandra Kataki, Director, Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, admitted that considering high incidence of cancer in Assam and Northeastern states, health infrastructure facilities in the region needs further up-gradation.  

"There is definite shortage of doctors and nurses at Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute and steps have been taken for fresh recruitment," he said.