Incidence Of Gall Bladder Cancer Higher In Eastern Region of Uttar Pradesh, India

Cancer is more prevalent in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Doctors at Indian Railways Cancer Institute and Research Centre, (IRCIRC), under North-Eastern Railway (NER), Varanasi division, said that incidence of gall bladder cancer is high particularly in the eastern regions of the state.

Dr Sarita Negi, Medical director of IRCIRC said, "While head and neck cancer is more prevalent in males, cervix and breast cancer incidence is high in females. But, as far as the eastern region is concerned, most of the patients are affected by gall bladder cancer."

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Dr S K Khan said that the incidence of cancer is highest in areas drained by the river Ganga. UP is one of the worst-hit stretches and cancers of gall bladder, kidneys, prostate and few others are common here and Varanasi is one of the "hot zones".

According to doctors, high prevalence of cancer is somehow linked to the intake of tobacco in its various forms such as gutkha and betel nuts, the reason behind thousands suffering from head and neck cancer, oral cancer of the palate, lung and intestinal cancer.

"The number of oral cavity cancer is on the rise due to the high rate of tobacco and gutkha consumption, smoking cigarettes or bidi. Smoking causes lung cancer and cancer of larynx, stomach or esophagus while pan masala-induced cancer is largely restricted to mouth and data reveal that the cases of oral cancer are higher than smoke-induced cancers," said doctors.

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The doctors said that with the center being one-of-its-kind in the region, around 1,000 patients are registered every month for diagnosis and treatment of various kinds of cancers, one of the most fatal diseases in the region. According to them, last year over 12,000 patients (including railway and non-railway patients) had been registered for diagnosis and treatment of different cancers.

The hospital has cancer treatment facilities like surgical oncology, gynecologic oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, anesthesia and pain palliation unit, pathology and radiology.

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Dr Negi informed that of 15 sanctioned posts, there are 12 specialist doctors and officers including chief specialist surgeon, ACMS surgeon, ACMS pathology, SR DMO/Pathology, SR DMO/Gynecologic oncology, DMO radiation oncology, surgical oncology, CMP Anesthesiology and nursing officer at present. Besides, visiting consultants, plastic surgeons, gastroenterologist, urologist, laproscopic surgeon, anesthesiologist, orthopedic surgeon, chest physician and cardiologist are called on a daily or case to case basis.

The center also organizes cancer camps every month to ensure early detection and awareness about the fatal disease in the region. "During these cancer camps we spread awareness through posters displaying symptoms of kinds of cancer and screening of several patients and early detection of cancer is done. After detection, we ask the patients to come at our center for treatment," said Dr Negi.

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Source-Economic Times