550 Killed By Cancer Every Year in Mizoram

Aizawl, Oct 12 : Cancer claims lives of 550 people on average annually in Mizoram which has been rightly dubbed as the 'cancer capital of India.' A report of Mizoram Population Base Cancer Registry (MPBCR) has revealed that cancer killed 3,302 people from 2003 to 2008, with 6,748 new cases detected during the same period.

About 194.5 male and 155.7 female of every one lakh people contracted cancer in 2003-04, the report said.

In 2005-06, new cases of the disease were detected in 191.5 male and 155.0 female out of every one lakh people.

In 2007-08, 180.6 male and 156.0 female of every one lakh people contracted cancer.
Stomach cancer was found to be the most common, constituting 23.1 per cent, followed by lung cancer (13 per cent), esophageal cancer (12.2 per cent) and hypopharynx cancer (4.6 per cent).

Within two years, 421 new cases of stomach cancer and 323 new cases of lung cancer were detected, the reported highlighted.

Lung cancer has developed to be the most common cancer among Mizo women which, according to the report, was due to the prevalence of smoking among the fairer sex.

It was followed by uterine cancer, the report said, adding that breast cancer would soon overtake uterine cancer among Mizo women.

The PBCR report stated that the state has the highest incidence of cancer in India among male and female, stomach cancer (male and female), lung cancer (male and female), uterine cancer, nasopharynx cancer (male) during 2003-2006.

At present, Mizoram has the second highest incidence of esophageal cancer (male) and third in hypopharynx cancer (male) in the country.

The state capital is among the top in stomach cancer in male and female in the world.

The lifestyle of the people of the state, especially their extensive consumption of tobacco coupled with consumption of smoked meat and vegetables resulted in the high incidence of cancer, the report said.

Currently, Mizoram tops all the states of India in consumption of tobacco, according to the National Health Survey-III (2005 and 2006).

Dr Jane R Ralte, officer-on-special duty and head of the Tobacco Cessation Clinic in the Aizawl Civil Hospital, confirmed the fact that tobacco chewing and smoking is highly prevalent among Mizo people.

As much as 22.1 per cent of the women indulge in smoking whereas the national figure is only 2.5, Dr Ralte stated.

She said 60 per cent of Mizo women are using other forms of tobacco (not smoking) while the national average is only 12.4 per cent.

''According to the National Family Health Survey conducted in 1998-99, Mizoram was in the first position in tobacco consumption, which is clearly indicative of the fact that Mizoram leads in cancer incidence,'' she added.