bio event
MULTIMEDIA
Lets Talk Cancer
Credits: Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance and India Institute of Public Health
country. The event assumes
significance in light of growing
incidence of cancer in India and
particularly in the North East.
The discussion covered various
aspects of the disease, ranging
from risk factors for cancer, cancer
diagnosis, disease management,
socio-cultural behavior towards
cancer and more. The eminent
panel included, Dr Preet Dhillon,
an epidemiologist at the Public
Health Foundation of India, who
started the discussion by giving an
overview of cancer incidence in
India, with a particular focus on
Meghalaya and the North East.
The other panellists included
prominent clinicians and
academics from Shillong, Dr
Judita Syiemlieh, oncologist at
Civil Hospital Shillong, Prof (Dr) P
Bhattacharya, Head, Department
of Anesthesiology and Intensive
Care at NEIGRIHMS- Shillong, Dr
Caleb Harris, Surgical Oncologist
at NEIGRIHMS- Shillong and
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BioVoiceNews | August 2016
Editor of Shillong Times, Ms
Patricia Mukhim.
After a brief welcome note by Dr
Sarah Iqbal, Public Engagement
officer, Wellcome Trust/DBT
India Alliance, Dr Sandra Albert,
Director, Indian Institute of
Public Health, was invited to
moderate the discussion.
At the outset, Dr Preet Dhillon
alluded to the recent data from
the ICMR Cancer Registry
program when talking about the
15 million cancer cases every year
in India and acknowledged that
even though the registry
programs such as these focused
on small population pockets in
the states they still provided the
best picture of cancer incidence in
the country. “It was very clear
from the data that the North East
and particularly Meghalaya had
the highest incidence of cancer,
and also the highest proportion of
tobacco-related cancers in the
country (male 69.5 percent,
female 45 percent),” she stated.
The data from the National
Cancer Registry Program also
showed that highest rates of
tongue cancer and hypopharynx
cancer in the world are in
Meghalaya. Dr Dhillon opined
that at least 15 years of data is
required to be able to suggest
conclusively how cancer rates are
changing and suggested
investigations in North East
should focus on the varieties of
local tobacco and its consumption
pattern, dietary habits, infections,
genetic susceptibility,
environmental exposure. In her
address, leading cancer oncologist
in Shillong, Dr Judita highlighted
the need for building manpower
in the health professions and
promoting tobacco control more
aggressively to tackle cancer
effectively.
Dr Caleb Harris, who recently
moved to NEIGRIHMS, talked
about the different cancer