Team Herald
PANJIM: While the formalin scare continues to haunt the State, oncologist Dr Shekhar Salkar has allayed fears citing WHO guidelines but warned people against consuming raw fruits and unwashed vegetables.
“The WHO guidelines are very clear that formalin does not cause cancer by injection;however, if inhaled or exposed to radiation, it will affect a person. As of today, there is no such case of cancer, but we should take more care of fruits and vegetables,” he said on the sidelines of a press conference on Tuesday.
“Before cooking fish, it goes through a lengthy process at one’s home like thorough cleaning, adding of salt and even boiling before frying, but fruits like bananas, apples are consumed without washing. We always advise people not to eat raw fruits as raw is more dangerous,” he explained.
Speaking on other cancers in the State, Salkar stated that 40 percent women suffer from lung cancer, whereas other cancers commonly detected in the State are breast cancer and colon cancer. The doctor insisted that a proper study be conducted to understand the cause of cancer. “We can’t find the reason why there is lung cancer in women. It could be due to various reasons but to know the exact cause, a proper study and manpower is needed,” he said.
