Chandigarh witnessed 9.7% hike in cancer cases between 2016-18

The city has witnessed a 9.7 % hike in cancer cases between 2016 to 2018, the data submitted in the Lok Sabha has revealed.

The minister of state for health and family welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, tabled the data in reply to a question regarding prevalence of cancer in states and union territories of India last week in Lok Sabha.

Among the union territories, the maximum increase has been witnessed in Daman and Diu followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli, while the minimum number of cases were recorded in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In Chandigarh, the number of cases recorded in 2016 was 1,274, which increased to 1,335 in 2017 and subsequently to 1,398 cases in 2018.

The maximum number of cancer cases witnessed in the city are of patients suffering from breast cancer, experts said.

“The maximum prevalence is of breast cancer followed by colon and lung cancer in Chandigarh. These types of cancer are mostly found in affluent societies,” professor Rakesh Kapoor of radiotherapy department said.

According to Kapoor, the number is not alarming in Chandigarh, but corrective steps are the need of the hour.

“There is an overall increase in the number of cancer cases in the country and lesser as compared to other UTs, but this does not mean that we should not be worried,” Kapoor said.

Kapoor said alcohol and non-vegetarian food were among the reasons for increased cases of breast cancer cases.

“The average age for marriage has also increased. Late marriage delays breastfeeding and is one of the reasons behind breast cancer,” Dr Kapoor said.

Awareness has seen a surge

Chandigarh health services director Dr G Dewan said more people were getting checked for cancer scans.

“The awareness among people has increased and facilities in private as well as public sector have got better,” Dr Dewan said.

He said the government of India had a number of schemes under non-communicable disease programme, which called for prevention of the diseases, including cancer and Chandigarh health department was implementing it.