Goa reports highest incidence of breast cancer in India: Experts

Panaji, Aug 6 (UNI) Goa, known for its modern life styles with the highest per capita income and late marriages, reports highest incidence of breast cancer in the country.

''We are recording almost one case per day and it is the highest in India. It is 35 cases per one lakh population in Goa as against 23.3 in Delhi, 21.9 in Chennai and 21.1 in Mumbai,'' Dr Sekhar Salkar, noted cancer specialist-cum-surgeon here told UNI.

Dr Salkar along with Dr Rajen Badwe, chief of surgery at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and chief of medical oncology from the Tata Memorial hospital Dr Parvish Parikh were speaking here in connection with breast cancer awareness programme organised by the Bicholim Branch of Indian Medical Association as part of the World Breast Feeding Week concluding tomorrow.

The experts interacted with a spectrum of women, some of them suffering from breast cancer, and doctors fraternity yesterday in the city as part of the campaign.

Dr Salkar further said that at the global level, US accounts for highest 65.4 per lakh of population against 29 in Philippines, 28.3 in Brazil and 11.2 in UK.

The incidence is also found to be the highest among the affluent and literates, and different minorities in different states for a variety of reasons.

The state governments, particularly Goa, should undertake a registry of cancer and other non-communicable diseases associated with lifestyles such as diabetes and hypertension on a war footing.

The authorities, Dr Salkar said, should plan out a concerted strategy to tackle the disorders systematically in the long run as they account for more deaths these days than communicable diseases such as tuberculosis.

''Late marriages, begetting children in thirties and forties, lack of protracted breast feeding, begetting too many children and early onset of menses are cause for concern,'' he said.

The chances of getting breast cancer are more among women with long gap between the menarche and begetting the first child, with eastrogen harmone working on them for long.

Early menarche, late marriages, late menopause, child bearing at an early age, having a number of children, short-term breast feeding and obesity just before and after menopause are causes for concern for breast cancer, the trio said.

Unfortunately, most women marry between the age of 35 to 40 and even more in Goa giving rise to the incidence of cancer. Sedentary habits further contribute to breast cancer and chances are more among those who develop obesity after menopause, they opined.

Dr Rajen Badwe, chief of surgery in the reputed Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai said changing lifestyles in the modern days account for 90 per cent of the incidence of cancer among women.

More UNI BM KU SB HT1450