Kidwai reports about 20% of cancer cases in population-based cancer registry of Karnataka 

To highlight the significance of cancer awareness, early detection, prevention and treatment, November 7 is observed as National Cancer Awareness Day

State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology reports about 20% of the estimated 86,563 new cases in the population-based cancer registry (PBCR) of Karnataka.

The institute’s hospital-based cancer registry (HBCR) records around 22,000 new cases annually. In 2023, of the 21,608 new cases registered in Kidwai, 12,500 were newly diagnosed cancer cases. To highlight the significance of cancer awareness, early detection, prevention and treatment, November 7 is observed as National Cancer Awareness Day.

Based on the PCBR data, approximately 14 lakh new cancer cases are reported annually in India. Of these, an estimated 86,563 new cases are from Karnataka. About 2.3 lakh cancer cases (including those on treatment and newly diagnosed) can be noticed at any given point of time in the State.

Female cancers high in Bengaluru

In Bengaluru, of the estimated 14,630 cases registered annually, 7,890 are female cancers. Of the 6,650 male cancers reported, lung cancer continues to be the most predominant site (9.7% of the total male cancers). Lung cancer is followed by cancers of the prostate (6.9%), stomach (6.5%), and mouth (6.4%). 

Among females, breast cancer is the most common constituting 31.5% of the total female cancers followed by cancer of the cervix (9.1%), ovary (6.4%), mouth (4.3%), and corpus uteri (4.2%), according to data shared by Kidwai administrator Naveen Bhat Y. 

Prashant Mathur, director of the Indian Council of Medical Research – National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (ICMR–NCDIR) in Bengaluru, who delivered the keynote address at a Continuing Medical Education (CME) workshop and seminar organised by Kidwai to mark National Cancer Awareness Day on Thursday, said cancer registries play a vital role in cancer control programme.

“There is a need to make more PCBRs available in rural areas and functional HBCRs in all medical colleges. A cancer registry will help in understanding the clinical manifestations, designing new treatment protocols and achieving better survival outcomes. It will also facilitate research by medical students,” he said.

Childhood cancers

The most common categories of childhood cancers include leukemia, brain cancer, lymphoma, and solid tumour (such as neuroblastoma and Wilms’ tumour) apart from bone and soft tumours.

Kidwai institute, which is working on a comprehensive State childhood cancer management policy, has submitted a proposal in this regard to the government. This will be in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global initiative for childhood cancer and can be a  model for a national strategy for childhood cancer control, said Arun Kumar A.R., professor and head of the Department of Paediatric Oncology at the institute.

Pointing out that the policy will encompass early diagnosis, prompt referral, creation of hub and spoke model, shared care and integrated paediatric oncology palliative care, the doctor said around 800 of the 3,000 paediatric oncology cases reported in Karnataka every year are from Bengaluru.

Vijay C.R., professor and head of the Department of Epedemiolgy and Biostatistics, said the institute sees around 1,000 new registrations in the Department of Paediatric Oncology every year. The outpatient department saw a footfall of 15,000 patients last year including 780 new registered cases, the doctor said.

Published - November 08, 2024 07:00 am IST