Cancers in head and neck rising, account for 26% cases in India: Study
New Delhi (PTI): Around 26 per cent of cancer patients in India have tumours in the head and neck, and there is an upward trend of such cases in the country, a study has found.
The findings of the study, conducted on 1,869 cancer patients across the country, were released on the World Head and Neck Cancer Day observed on Saturday.
Cancer Mukt Bharat Foundation, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation, conducted the study by collating data from calls received on its helpline number from March 1 to June 30.
Dr. Ashish Gupta, a senior oncologist who is heading the Cancer Mukt Bharat Campaign in India, said that India is seeing surge in head and neck cancer cases, especially among young men, due to increased tobacco consumption and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
"Around 80-90 pc of oral cancer patients have been found to use tobacco in some form, be it smoking or chewing. Most of the head and neck cancer are preventable, unlike other cancers for which the reason is unknown. It is a preventable cancer that can be prevented with lifestyle modification.
"There is a need to raise awareness to quit tobacco and early check-ups for early pickup of the disease," Gupta said.
In India, nearly two-thirds of cancer cases are detected late likely due to low adoption of proper screening, he said.
Gupta added that the Cancer Mukt Bharat campaign aims to reduce the incidence and impact of cancer on individuals and communities through education and early detection.
"If found early in stages one or two, most head and neck cancers are curable in more than 80 pc of patients. In the field of cancer treatment, we get new medicines almost every week which can treat cancer in better way leading to better outcomes and good quality of life.
"A combination of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy can be used for treating head and neck cancer. Latest cancer treatment has evolved to prioritize not just curing the disease, but also ensuring a good quality of life for survivors," he said.
Under the Cancer Mukt Bharat Campaign, a free national helpline number (93-555-20202) was launched recently, which is operational from 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday.
Cancer patients can call on this number to speak to leading oncologists directly or even do a video call to discuss about their treatment without paying any fees.
Head and neck cancer was closely followed by gastrointestinal cancers which was 16 per cent. Fufteen per cent cancers in India re breast cancers and and blood cancers make up 9 per cent of them.
These data are in line with the latest GLOBOCAN data -- a database that gives global cancer statistics -- on India. GLOBOCON data is part of International Agency for Research on Cancer's Global Cancer Observatory.
India is expected to have 2.1 million new cancer cases by 2040, a big jump from the numbers in 2020, as per a recent GLOBOCAN report.
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Strong rooms, unsealed rooms should not be opened under any circumstance: EC
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The EC on Tuesday issued clear directions to all district election officers and returning officers in Kerala not to open any strong rooms or unsealed rooms in counting centres under any circumstances before the day of counting.
The direction was issued by Kerala Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar following reports that a strong room storing EVMs in the Perambra constituency in Kozhikode was opened on Monday, and that there were reported plans to open another in the Nenmara constituency in Palakkad.
“It has been reiterated that under no circumstances shall any strong rooms or unsealed rooms be opened or accessed for the purpose of preparing Index Cards or verifying data on the ENCORE portal.
“All concerned officers have been directed to ensure strict compliance with these instructions to safeguard the integrity, transparency, and security of the electoral process,” a statement issued by Kelkar’s office said.
Responding to a TV channel’s query on the matter, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan said that, according to election laws and rules, no one is supposed to go near strong rooms.
“So, why was the material room kept close to the strong room? There is something suspicious about it. The party and the UDF are looking into the matter very seriously. There has to be a proper probe into the matter,” he contended.
“Overall, it appears that steps are being taken by the state and central governments to sabotage the people’s verdict. That is what we understand from these incidents,” he claimed.
Later in the day, Palakkad District Collector Madhavikutty M S, in a statement, termed reports that the strong room containing electronic voting machines used in the Nenmara constituency had been opened as incorrect.
The collector said the returning officer had informed representatives of all candidates that a room where election documents were kept would be opened to prepare ENCORE data before the counting of votes.
This room was in the same building as the strong room, and representatives of the candidates and videography teams were present at the centre in the morning, the statement said.
However, in view of the spread of false news that the strong room had been opened, the collector, as instructed by the chief electoral officer, directed the RO not to open the room containing election documents, it said.
The collector also instructed all returning officers not to open any rooms at counting centres where EVMs are kept before counting begins, without instructions from the CEO.
On Monday, the Kozhikode district administration had clarified that no strong room was opened.
Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who is also the district election officer, had said that an unsealed “material room” at JDT Islam Higher Secondary School was opened in the presence of candidates’ agents to verify and update polling records.
He said in a statement that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPATs were securely stored in a sealed strong room on the first floor of the building under the supervision of central observers and candidates’ agents, and that the strong room had not been opened.
However, leaders of the Congress and the party-led UDF alleged that the incident amounted to a violation of election rules.
The results of the April 9 Assembly polls in 140 constituencies in the state will be declared on May 4.
