BHOPAL: The incidence of cancer is increasing day by day in the city and more women than men in the city are afflicted with the deadly disease. The number of young cancer patients is also on the rise.
According to the triennial report of National Cancer Registry Programme 2014, Bhopal has witnessed tremendous growth in the number of female cancer patients. There were 1746 female patients and 1718 male cancer patients in Bhopal during the last survey conducted and the highest rate were for the tongue and mouth cancer. And among the total number of cancer patients 30 per cent are youngsters.
But now the scenario has changed and more cervical and uterus cancer patients are coming to hospitals. According to Dr Divya Parashar, CMD, Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer hospital, among females uterus and cervical is reported most, unlike the last report which said that tongue cancer had the high prevalence in Bhopal. “The exact numbers can be told only after the new report but definitely the situation has changed. Also among males, oral cancer patients are in high prevalence due to intake of tobacco but this is also changing because females have also started consuming tobacco. During one of our camps we found that women are consuming tobacco at an alarming rate and were more in numbers when compared to men, though symptoms of cancer were few”.
Dr O.P. Singh, Hamidia hospital, said, “Hamidia alone gets 15-20 patients of between age 19-15. One of the reasons is the increase in the consumption of tobacco at a young age. In fact, we have even seen breast cancer patient of 13 years of age”.
Dr Shyam Agarwal, Navodaya cancer hospital and research center said that the rate of increase in cancer patients among youngsters and women has increased and youngsters account for about 30 per cent of the registered patients.
‘I regret having consumed tobacco’
Chandresh Saxena, 53, who suffered from mouth cancer got his operation done in November 2016 in Bhopal. While sharing his experience, he said, “This was the second operation I had. I was consuming tobacco since a very long time and today I regret it. Even after the second operation, the doctors could not assure that it will not come back. And ever since the radiation treatment, my condition has worsened.” Another patient, Bharti Devi, 46, started consuming tobacco after her marriage. Her husband also consumed tobacco and he died of cancer of the esophagus. “I was diagnosed with mouth cancer after my husband’s death but it was too late to realize the harm tobacco could cause. I have undergone a surgery and till now, I have been regularly going for checkup at Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital”.
