Mokokchung Times News
Mokokchung | February 4
Nagaland is one of the leading cancer prevalent states in the country. “It is a cancer burdened proven state as there are no facilities for its management, thus compelling 90% of detected cancer cases to move out of the state in search of treatment causing the state overburdened economically,” the Department of Health & Family Welfare states in its official website. Higher prevalence rate is attributed to the ignorance of the early signs and symptoms of cancer, leading to either undetected or late stage detection, resulting higher rate of morbidity and mortality.
As per data available, stomach cancer is the most prevalent cancer in Nagaland accounting for 25% of all cases. It was inferred that the commonest cancer among females was cervix cancer while the commonest among males was stomach cancer.
Mokokchung Times made attempts to access information on cancer prevalence rate in Mokokchung but no ready data was available. There was also no report of World Cancer Day being observed in Mokokchung today. On the report of a proposal for Radiotherapy Facility in Mokokchung for cancer treatment, a senior medical officer in Mokokchung said that the facility remain unutilized due to lack of “manpower” and it was learnt that the facility wastemporarily converted into a COVID-19 flu clinic due to availability of space during this pandemic.
1.56 million cancer cases in NE in 2025: ICMR Report
A research by the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR) under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has earlier revealedthat cancer cases in the northeast are projected to rise by a steep 13.5% by 2025.The projected number of cancer cases for the year 2025 is estimated to be 57,131 (30,985 in males and 26,146 in females). ICMR also reported that the Northeastern states have been experiencing a higher burden of cancers in both men and women. ICMR said that a total of 1.39 million was estimated to be the cases in these states in 2020 which is expected to rise to 1.56 million in 2025.
The ICMR said that tobacco use-related cancers constituted 27 per cent of all cancers. The leading cancer cases projected in 2025 are breast cancer (females), lung cancer and Oral cancers. The leading cases of cancers in men will be oral, esophagus, lung and stomach, while in women breast and cervix cancer will be leading in 2025.
World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is observed globally with the aim to inform and encourage people on cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. The main obstacle in cancer control is the lack of awareness, prevailing taboos and misconception about cancer. It is observed annually on February 4 to spread awareness and education about the disease and to prevent millions of deaths each year across the world. World Cancer Day 2022 was observed globally on the theme “Close the Care Gap.”