Centre on breast cancer to be set up

by ABDUL RAUF BEIG
Posted on 2009-02-10
PANAJI - Concerned over the large number of breast cancer cases in Goa, the state government, particularly the Health Minister, Mr Vishwajit Rane, is working hard to rope in the services of a leading breast cancer centre in Europe for technology transfer and expert advice relating to the establishment of a full-fledged breast screening and post-cancer treatment and rehabilitation centre.
The government also has an understanding with the Tata Memorial Hospital for the purpose.
This programme focuses not only on diagnosis but also genetic counselling in families with high-risk breast cancer incidents. There would also be continuous cross institutional exchange of data to ensure that best possible information was made available for patients as well as treating medical practitioners in the state in keeping with recommended global guidelines.
The prevalence of breast cancer in the state appeared to be increasing with the passage of every year, with as many as 201 cases of breast cancer were detected (including those detected through fine needle aspiration cytology) at the Goa Medical College, including 200 women and a man.
A previous study in the GMC revealed that 594, of 4,916 cases of cancer histopathologically detected over the five years from among 43,472 specimen received from January 2003 to December 2007, were of the breast cancer. The figures, however, do not include the number of cases detected through fine need aspiration cytology.
Of the 594 cases 112 cases (23.04 per cent) were detected in the year, the number of breast cancer rose to 129 (28.70%) in 2004. In the year 2005, the number came down to 113 (19.78%) and slight increased to 116 (21.88%) in the year 2006. The number further increased to 120 (21.70%) in 2007.
The prevalence of such a high number of cancer is a matter of concern said Dr R G Wiseman Pinto, professor and head of pathology department of the GMC who revealed the figures of cancer cases found in the study and said that urgent steps needed to be taken to detect the cases and adopt preventive measures as well as treat the victims. He said that affliction of the disease causes problems not only for the women, who were the home makers, but also to their family, particularly the children and that steps in early detection and treatment would go a long way in overcoming the sufferings that the families of the victims undergo.
He also said that of the 201 cases detected in the year 2008, the youngest person afflicted by the disease was a 24-year-old girl while the oldest was a 94-year old lady. The man detected to be suffering from breast cancer was 60 year old, he added.
Dr Pinto also said that largest number of breast cancer cases, 58, was detected in the age group of 40-49 years followed by those in 50-59 years, wherein 46 cases were detected. Women in the age group of 60-69 accounted for 32 cases while women in the 30-39 years accounted for 29 cases.
He further said that five patients were in the age group of 20-29, while seven were in the age group of 80-89. Only one lady in the age group of 90-99 years was found to have breast cancer while 23 women with breast cancer were in the age group 70-79.
Disclosing the types of breast cancer the detected persons were suffering, he said that while 188 had infiltrating duct carcinoma, 1 had lobular carcinoma and 2 others had pageants disease and the remaining 10 had mixed type of breast cancer.
He informed that most of the cases were detected at the GMC and a few come from private hospitals. He also said that some cases of breast cancer were detected from among people who come for review (second opinion). The cancers are detected through FNAC, biopsy and operations, he added.
Dr Pinto also said that around 1,000 cases of cancer were detected in the last year and the largest number was of the breast cancer. He also said that around 350 people die of cancer in the state every year and the number was increasing.
He sated that keeping in mind the large number of cancer cases in the state, the Health Minister was trying to set up the regional cancer centre in the state and a fresh proposal has been sent to the central government for the purpose. He disclosed that there was a proposal to acquire mobile vans with mammography facility to enable doctors to go to people in both rural and urban areas for detecting cancer. A cancer registry was set up recently in the state.
Stating that the cases of breast cancer were increasing as the years pass by with even a young girl of 24 years had breast cancer, he went on to add that the girls in their twenties should check their breasts once in a month for presence of any lump and see the doctor once in a year for medical check-up.