Cancer figures still worrying in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: For 60-year-old Gagan Tomar, a resident of Mansa in Punjab, hospital has become his second home. He is not an employee there, as his wife is suffering from chronic myelogenous leukemia, a type of blood cancer, has made him almost shift to the hospital for her treatment. More than the agony of seeing her wriggling in pain each passing day, he ponders on what could have caused the dreaded disease.

Tomar is not alone. 56-year-old, Janki Devi, hailing from Muktsar, has been diagnosed with second stage of malignant breast cancer. She has been advised surgery for the breast removal along with chemotherapy. Initially, on being diagnosed she got depressed. However, on seeing many of her age surviving the cancer with therapies and medicines, Janki has been able to focus on her routine work. Both these patients are one of the hundredth patients out of a lakh from Punjab. And what bonds them is a common misery - cancer.

Though the national average incidence of the cancer in Punjab has been found to be lesser than the country as a whole, it's not time to start cheering. Experts from PGI who have been working in this area for sometime feel that it technically flawed to compare present incidence of the cancer with a national average that existed in 2002.

The previous studies done by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 2002 had established the national average as 80 lakh per population. The door to door survey conducted by Punjab covering almost 80% of the state estimated the incidence of cancer as 90 lakh per population that exceeding the national mark.

"We cannot compare more than a decade year old data with the present figures. Though there are variations in the country, within states and even districts, the Malwa belt continues to hold our attention. In fact, huge numbers being reported from the region by us compelled the Punjab government to conduct an ICMR cancer atlas study," said Dr J S Thakur, who has been working on environment and cancer issues at the PGI.

The recent cancer atlas for Punjab found the national average around 100 per lakh of the population. And only two districts which come close to 90 per lakh of the population in cancers of the men are Bathinda and Mohali, while for women three districts including Bathinda, Mohali and Faridkot exceed the national average.

Punjab health officials however feel that it more awareness has resulted in the rise in the figures of cancer. "Given health seeking behaviour lower among women, perhaps there is a positive here. May be more women are coming forward than in rest of the country. Of course more data is required to substantiate this," said principal secretary for health, Punjab, Vini Mahajan.

[email protected]