IMPHAL, Oct 16 ? The number of cancer patients has been on the rise in the north eastern region particularly in Manipur over the past few years, according to the latest survey conducted by the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal. RIMS, run by the North Eastern Council for the six beneficiary states - Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, has been conducting research works in cancer.
The Radio Therapy Department of RIMS has been treating cancer patients for the last 15 years and the institute is the only one in the entire north eastern region which can boast of having 80 per cent of the world?s most sophisticated equipment required for treating cancer.
The Radio Therapy Department at RIMS is open on Mondays and Fridays between 2-3 pm for detection of cancer. The Head of Pathology Department, RIMS, Professor Y Mohen said that in the latest survey 800 to 850 persons were found suffering from cancer in Manipur which has a population of 24 lakh. Men are more prone to this disease. Types of cancer commonly suffered by men are lung cancer, nasolpharynx and lymphoma, while a large number of women are affected by womb and breast cancer.
The prevalence of cervical cancer, a common type of cancer among the women is on the increase in Manipur due to poor hygiene, burden of bearing too many children and high incidence of sexually transmitted diseases. The Head Radio Therapy Department, RIMS, Prof Th Tomcha has said that 30 per cent cases of cancer patients registered in the institute are related to the lifestyle and food habit of the people. Excessive smoking, use of tobacco products and heavy consumption of alcohol and carcinogen products are the main causes of cancer among the men.
Marriage at tender age, frequent abortion, infidelity, heavy reliance on breast feeding and unhealthy womb lead to infection of breast and womb cancers among the women in the state. Cancer can be cured if it is detected at the early stages and so doctors should be consulted as soon as the symptoms or warning signs of the disease appear. Outstation patients from Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Assam come to RIMS for treatment.
More than 3000 women have been screened and about three per cent of them have been detected in the early pre-cancerous and cancerous stages. RIMS observed Cancer Day on September 22 to make the public aware that palliative care and voluntary blood donation is a must while treating cancer patients.