The mention of the big C usually causes a shiver to run down ones spine. Worryingly it is estimated that the country’s cancer burden could increase from 1.39 million to 1.57 million by 2025. As of today the five leading sites of the disease were breast, lung, mouth, cervix, uteri and tongue. In Goa too the situation is quite similar. According to professionals who work on treating and offering palliative care to those suffering from cancer the change in diet and general eating habits and lifestyles being followed were not helping matters.
For Smita Kamat she had to go through a battle with cancer twelve years ago. Smita said “I was detected with breast cancer in the early stage. I was diagnosed then went for mammography and then removed the lump. I had to endure six cycles of chemotherapy and six week of radiotherapy. It commenced in the month of January 2010 and by the end of July I was ok and in the month of August I started working. I have not had any health problems ever since. I take care of my health, I go for my walks, meditate and I stay alert”. She agreed it could be a time of great emotion for the patient as well as for those around.
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Another former patient who preferred to go by Apte said she was diagnosed with a stage two tumor in 2019. After getting the biopsy report from the hospital in Mumbai on email she got an idea of the situation. A visit to the doctor confirmed the fact and she went to the hospital on Feb 19 and was out the next day to start life anew. She said “I go for a checkup every year to ensure that everything is normal. One has to always be on alert because you never know, it could come back”.
Attempts to contact other cancer survivors proved futile because most refused to speak saying it was too early and it still gave them the jitters. One said he felt death was in bed with him and he had escaped and was not keen on talking about it.
For medical professionals like Dr Dhimodkar who is associated with a palliative care centre in Ponda. He said they take care of patients, patients requiring medical help even visits to their residences and those patients who require end of life care. When asked what was the kind of cancer was increasing in the state, he said it would be difficult to state because he was only aware of the situation at his hospital. According to him blood cancer was on the rise though other cancers like ovarian cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer was also prevalent. He attributed it to change in lifestyle, peoples fondness for alcohol, pan parag, chewing tobacco.
According to Anupama Borkar, Sr Consultant, Dept of Oncology, Goa Medical College in her estimation around twenty five percent of all cases in her estimation was breast cancer followed by blood cancer, head and neck and the others. She was not able to provide information as to the statistics in the state. She said breast cancer was highest all over the world.
Cancer cases and deaths were the highest in low and low-middle SDI countries and regions. By 2040, researchers predict that more than two-thirds of the world’s cancer cases will occur in low- and middle-income countries. India falls in the low-middle category.
One can only hope everyone have themselves checked every year to avoid the dreaded piece of news that it is now too late for treatment.
