Women suffering from cancer on the rise
Study Says The Disease Affects The Most Productive Age Group Of 35 To 64 Years
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: In the last five years, more women (53 per cent) were detected with cancer in Goa, while the incidence of cancer amongst men was at 47 per cent, reveals a new study.
Amongst all ailments, the prevalence of cancer in the state is about 11. 3 per cent and the shocking part is that cancer affects the most productive age group of 35 to 64 years. About 68 per cent women were detected with cancer in this age group, with men closely following at 64 per cent.
While the main reason for cancer amongst women has been linked to lifestyle, food habits like increasing consumption of vegetables sprayed with pesticides, broiler chicken and ham injected with steroids that lead to hormonal imbalance, the reason cited for cancer amongst men in Goa, besides changing lifestyle and food habits, is the increase in consumption of alcohol and gutka, the study states.
The study has been conducted by Goa Medical College and Hospital’s department of pathology head Dr Wiseman Pinto and Dr Manali Bandekar.
They studied specimen received from January 2003 to December 2007. Of the 43,472 specimen received, 4916 samples were diagnosed with cancer. “About 25 per cent are tobacco related cancers. While cancer of oral cavity (8 per cent) accounts for highest proportion of tobacco related cancers both in men (11 per cent) and women (4 per cent), cancer of lung (0.69 per cent) accounts for the lowest proportion of tobacco related cancers,” said Dr Pinto.
According to the report, the most common killer cancer amongst women is breast cancer. While majority of urban women were diagnosed with breast cancer (23 per cent) in the last five years, the rural women were diagnosed mostly with cervical cancer (10 per cent).
The other common types of cancer amongst women in Goa is the cancer of ovary, corpus uteri, non-hodgkins lymphoma, stomach, rectum and thyroid.
“Broiler chicken, ham or salami if eaten regularly and for a long time, leads to a hormonal imbalance in the body, which increases the risk of breast cancer in women. The body produces estrogen and progesterone, which is good, but by regularly eating broiler chicken, the exo (produced outside the human body) - estrogen and progesterone - acts on the body and increases risk ,” said Dr Pinto.
On the other hand, majority of men who have been diagnosed for cancer suffer from either stomach, bladder or tongue cancer, followed by the cancer of the mouth, esophagus, larynx, rectum and colon.
Dr Pinto added, “Stomach cancer is increasing amongst men due to increase in consumption of alcohol along with papad and preserved pickles that contains bacteria “H pylori”, excess of which leads to stomach cancer.”
While 3.5 per cent boys (0-14 years) who were diagonised with cancer in the last five years, the number of girls diagnosed with cancer in this age group is 2.2 per cent.
About 7 per cent men and women between the age group of 15 and 34 were detected with cancer in the last five years, followed by about 25 per cent men about the age of 65 and 22 per cent women in the same age group.
July 5, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Showing posts with label Cancer;Goa;India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cancer;Goa;India. Show all posts
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Mumbai hospital turns away patients
Mumbai hospital turns away patients
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: After three months of treatment at Goa Medical College and hospital (GMC) produced no result, two and half year old Vibhav Borkar from Borim, Ponda was advised a biopsy. The biopsy report revealed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer).
Armed with a certificate from GMC dated June 12, 2008, advising oncology, ‘facilities for which are available neither at GMC nor elsewhere in the state of Goa’, Vibhav’s parents, accompanied by an attendant, travelled by air as advised by GMC to Mumbai’s Tata Memorial hospital (TMH) on June 13, 2008.
But on reaching the Mumbai hospital, they were refused admission by TMH for want of beds. “They asked us to return after four days. But my son’s condition was bad and the doctor’s in Goa had said that he needed immediate medical attention,” said Viraj Borkar the child’s father.
TMH director Dr K P Dinshaw says, “We always have a problem of beds. But sooner or later, the child would have been admitted in the hospital.”
Vibhav was admitted to another private hospital in Mumbai, in the hope that the Goa government might help save their only son’s life. But the directorate of health services in Goa refused to bear the expenses. “They refused to help stating that the private hospital is not recognised by the Goa government for its mediclaim scheme,” said Viraj.
“The treatment costs Rs four lakh and we have already spent Rs one lakh. We have no more money to spend,” said the aggrieved father, who works as a clerk in a private engineering college in the state.
Though Vibhav has received initial treatment, he needs chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy for 8 to 10 months, that might cost Rs four lakh, the parents said.
Health Services director Dr Rajnanda Dessai said, “The family can submit the bills to us and we will refer the matter to the government. If the government agrees, we will pay them.”
Cancer continues to be a major ailment in Goa and even toddlers are not spared. Every year, at the GMC alone, about 45 to 50 children are detected with cancer. The biggest irony is that even though the state government claims that it is concerned with the rising cancer cases in the state and has sent a proposal to the Union health ministry for setting up a regional cancer centre in Goa, Goa doesn’t have a medical oncologist to take care of cancer patients.
“At present most cancer cases are referred to Tata Memorial for preliminary treatment and followed up at GMC as Goa doesn’t have a medical oncologist,” said a GMC doctor, on condition of anonymity.
July 4, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: After three months of treatment at Goa Medical College and hospital (GMC) produced no result, two and half year old Vibhav Borkar from Borim, Ponda was advised a biopsy. The biopsy report revealed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer).
Armed with a certificate from GMC dated June 12, 2008, advising oncology, ‘facilities for which are available neither at GMC nor elsewhere in the state of Goa’, Vibhav’s parents, accompanied by an attendant, travelled by air as advised by GMC to Mumbai’s Tata Memorial hospital (TMH) on June 13, 2008.
But on reaching the Mumbai hospital, they were refused admission by TMH for want of beds. “They asked us to return after four days. But my son’s condition was bad and the doctor’s in Goa had said that he needed immediate medical attention,” said Viraj Borkar the child’s father.
TMH director Dr K P Dinshaw says, “We always have a problem of beds. But sooner or later, the child would have been admitted in the hospital.”
Vibhav was admitted to another private hospital in Mumbai, in the hope that the Goa government might help save their only son’s life. But the directorate of health services in Goa refused to bear the expenses. “They refused to help stating that the private hospital is not recognised by the Goa government for its mediclaim scheme,” said Viraj.
“The treatment costs Rs four lakh and we have already spent Rs one lakh. We have no more money to spend,” said the aggrieved father, who works as a clerk in a private engineering college in the state.
Though Vibhav has received initial treatment, he needs chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy for 8 to 10 months, that might cost Rs four lakh, the parents said.
Health Services director Dr Rajnanda Dessai said, “The family can submit the bills to us and we will refer the matter to the government. If the government agrees, we will pay them.”
Cancer continues to be a major ailment in Goa and even toddlers are not spared. Every year, at the GMC alone, about 45 to 50 children are detected with cancer. The biggest irony is that even though the state government claims that it is concerned with the rising cancer cases in the state and has sent a proposal to the Union health ministry for setting up a regional cancer centre in Goa, Goa doesn’t have a medical oncologist to take care of cancer patients.
“At present most cancer cases are referred to Tata Memorial for preliminary treatment and followed up at GMC as Goa doesn’t have a medical oncologist,” said a GMC doctor, on condition of anonymity.
July 4, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Double blow for cancer patients
Double blow for cancer patients
Goa Govt Defaults On Mediclaim, Mumbai Hospital Shuns Victims
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: On May 9, when Alan (61) called Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, to fix an appointment with a doctor for his 50-year-old wife who’s suffering from lung cancer, they refused to entertain him saying that they have stopped treating mediclaim patients referred from Goa.
Alan rushed to the directorate of health services, which told him that they have cleared the bills and also gave him a fresh letter stating that his wife should be given the necessary treatment .
Armed with this letter, Alan flew to Mumbai on Friday. On reaching the central government hospital, the authorities refused to treat her. “They told me that the Goa government has so far not paid them about Rs 63 lakh and they wouldn’t be admitting any patient from Goa till the government clears the pending bills,” said Alan.
Meanwhile another patient who had gone to Mumbai around the first week of May was sent back for the same reason. “They told me that they would treat me if I was ready to pay the bills. I tried to reason but in vain,” said Maria D’Souza. Finally, she came back to Goa without treatment.
Cancer is a major worry in Goa at least one person in the state is detected with the disease every day. Every year about 25% of these patients are referred to Tata Memorial. But they are being shown the door at the hospital.
Health authorities accept that there has been a lapse in clearing the bills because of a ‘procedural delay’. “Generally if there is any problem, the patients call us. So far I have not got any such complaints,” said director of health services Dr Rajnanda Dessai.
“If such a thing is happening, it is nothing but red tapism. Cancer patients can’t be denied treatment and if they are being denied treatment by Tata Memorial because we have not cleared the mediclaim bills, that’s not right. I will personally look into the matter and if anyone is found guilty, I will suspend the official responsible for the mess,” said health minister Vishwajit Rane. The government gives a mediclaim of Rs 1.5 lakh to cancer patients.
Tata Memorial director Dr K Dinshaw said, “I am not aware of this and I have no comments to offer.” When told that some officials in Goa admit this is happening, she said, “There’s nothing official about it.”
Patients with leukaemia, in need of bone marrow transplant, requiring high chemotherapy or radiotherapy or those needing a second opinion are referred to Tata Memorial. Goan cancer patients in dilemma at Mumbai
Panaji: Cancer patients from Goa are being denied treatment at Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital as the state government has failed to clear mediclaim dues.
“I didn’t expect this sort of a treatment from the people friendly Goa government.
I am retired and that’s why I am dependent on the government mediclaim, but government authorities shouldn’t play with our lives,” said the husband of a cancer patient who had been denied treatment.
People working towards the treatment of cancer are not impressed with these developments. “This is a total neglect by the government.
Cancer patients can’t wait, any delay is dangerous and they need to be treated immediately.
You can’t play with the life of the people,” said National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication general secretary Dr Shekhar Salkar.
Interestingly, like Tata Memorial, many private hospitals in Goa are also yet to receive mediclaim money, but they have not denied treatment to patients.
Sini Kutty from NUSI hospital said, “It’s been more than two years and nearly Rs 75 to Rs 85 lakh are pending.
We were planning to take a policy decision not to treat mediclaim patients because we are now in a deep financial mess because of this delay. But we decided against it as the patients will suffer.”
Apollo Victor CEO Bismarc Martins said that approximately Rs 1 crore is pending. “If we stop, patients will die, but the government won’t suffer,” said Martins.
“In the last six months we started mediclaim scheme for kidney dialysis and almost Rs 15 lakh mediclaim money is pending,” added Dr Digambar Naik from Vrundavan hospital. The most common forms of cancer detected in Goa are of the head and neck, while incidents of breast cancer are high amongst women.
2008 May 17 Times Of India Goa
Goa Govt Defaults On Mediclaim, Mumbai Hospital Shuns Victims
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: On May 9, when Alan (61) called Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, to fix an appointment with a doctor for his 50-year-old wife who’s suffering from lung cancer, they refused to entertain him saying that they have stopped treating mediclaim patients referred from Goa.
Alan rushed to the directorate of health services, which told him that they have cleared the bills and also gave him a fresh letter stating that his wife should be given the necessary treatment .
Armed with this letter, Alan flew to Mumbai on Friday. On reaching the central government hospital, the authorities refused to treat her. “They told me that the Goa government has so far not paid them about Rs 63 lakh and they wouldn’t be admitting any patient from Goa till the government clears the pending bills,” said Alan.
Meanwhile another patient who had gone to Mumbai around the first week of May was sent back for the same reason. “They told me that they would treat me if I was ready to pay the bills. I tried to reason but in vain,” said Maria D’Souza. Finally, she came back to Goa without treatment.
Cancer is a major worry in Goa at least one person in the state is detected with the disease every day. Every year about 25% of these patients are referred to Tata Memorial. But they are being shown the door at the hospital.
Health authorities accept that there has been a lapse in clearing the bills because of a ‘procedural delay’. “Generally if there is any problem, the patients call us. So far I have not got any such complaints,” said director of health services Dr Rajnanda Dessai.
“If such a thing is happening, it is nothing but red tapism. Cancer patients can’t be denied treatment and if they are being denied treatment by Tata Memorial because we have not cleared the mediclaim bills, that’s not right. I will personally look into the matter and if anyone is found guilty, I will suspend the official responsible for the mess,” said health minister Vishwajit Rane. The government gives a mediclaim of Rs 1.5 lakh to cancer patients.
Tata Memorial director Dr K Dinshaw said, “I am not aware of this and I have no comments to offer.” When told that some officials in Goa admit this is happening, she said, “There’s nothing official about it.”
Patients with leukaemia, in need of bone marrow transplant, requiring high chemotherapy or radiotherapy or those needing a second opinion are referred to Tata Memorial. Goan cancer patients in dilemma at Mumbai
Panaji: Cancer patients from Goa are being denied treatment at Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital as the state government has failed to clear mediclaim dues.
“I didn’t expect this sort of a treatment from the people friendly Goa government.
I am retired and that’s why I am dependent on the government mediclaim, but government authorities shouldn’t play with our lives,” said the husband of a cancer patient who had been denied treatment.
People working towards the treatment of cancer are not impressed with these developments. “This is a total neglect by the government.
Cancer patients can’t wait, any delay is dangerous and they need to be treated immediately.
You can’t play with the life of the people,” said National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication general secretary Dr Shekhar Salkar.
Interestingly, like Tata Memorial, many private hospitals in Goa are also yet to receive mediclaim money, but they have not denied treatment to patients.
Sini Kutty from NUSI hospital said, “It’s been more than two years and nearly Rs 75 to Rs 85 lakh are pending.
We were planning to take a policy decision not to treat mediclaim patients because we are now in a deep financial mess because of this delay. But we decided against it as the patients will suffer.”
Apollo Victor CEO Bismarc Martins said that approximately Rs 1 crore is pending. “If we stop, patients will die, but the government won’t suffer,” said Martins.
“In the last six months we started mediclaim scheme for kidney dialysis and almost Rs 15 lakh mediclaim money is pending,” added Dr Digambar Naik from Vrundavan hospital. The most common forms of cancer detected in Goa are of the head and neck, while incidents of breast cancer are high amongst women.
2008 May 17 Times Of India Goa
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