They also urged the government to create more awareness among people and improve cancer treatment quality in the country.

The suggestion came up at a webinar marking World Cancer Day arranged by Rotary International District 3281, Bangladesh  titled- “Cancer Control in 50 Years of Independence: Role of Rotary.”

Dr Md Habibullah Talukder Ruskin, head of Cancer Epidemiology Department at National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital (NICRH) said the number of cancer patients has increased in the country alarmingly due to various reasons.

“People should avoid alcohol and wine to remain safe from ‘liver cancer’ as it increases the risk of the disease. Besides, hepatitis virus is also responsible for the cancer. On the other hand, many people in our country are affected by skin cancer due to drinking arsenic-contaminated water,” he also said.

 “Everyone should clean mouth properly to remain safe from cancer in mouth. If mothers don’t feed milk their kids then they are in risk of breast cancer. So every mother should feed their kid breast milk,” the event chair also said.

He suggested people to take safe food to remain safe from different cancer diseases.

Professor Sabera Khatun, Former Chairman of Gynaecological Oncology Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said ‘breast cancer’ is the most common form of cancer among women. And second position is uterus cancer.

“Mostly poor people are infected by uterus cancer. Around 87 percent of those affected by this type of cancer are found in Asian countries including Bangladesh, India and Bhutan; and African countries are infected in the disease,” she informed.

Dr Sabera also added that 70 percent uterus cancer is controlled in development countries. So there is needed more awareness and proper treatment in primary level in Bangladesh.

District Governor of Rotary M Rubayet Hossain said there are around 15 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh. “Around 2 lakh people are added newly with cancer in every year in the country. Awareness about the disease should be raised here,” he also said.

Rubayet said the lung cancer among men and breast cancer among women are high in the country. The dangerous disease is increasing in the society. 

However, Rotary built the 1st building at Mohakhali, and Rotary Cancer Detection Unit started functioning here which turned into the present National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital.

Rotary has established Rajshahi Cancer Hospital at Katakhali, Rajshahi and is organizing a regular anti-cancer campaign throughout the country. 

Professor MA Haiu, former Director of NICRH; Professor Robed Amin, Line Director of NCDC at DGHS; Professor Swapan Bandopadhya, Head of Radiotherapy at DMCH; Dr M. Hasanuzzaman, Surgical Oncologist and Dr Patrick Bipul Biswas, Founder of Rajshahi Cancer Hospital spoke there.

However, a report recently unveiled showed, ‘From January 2015 to December 2017, a total of 76,543 new patients attended the outpatient department of the NICRH. Of them, some 35,369 had confirmed or provisional diagnosis of cancer and they were included in the final analysis.’

A total of 5,887 people with lung cancer were admitted to the hospital in these three years. The figure was 1983 in 2014, as per the report, indicating a nearly 200 per cent rise in cases in just three years. ‘Lung was the leading site of cancers in men followed by breast cancer in women – 24.7 per cent men were admitted with lung cancer and 5.2 per cent women.’

‘Besides, 4,998 breast, 2,719 cervix, 1,582 oesophagus, 1,366 stomach, 1,224 liver, 1,177 lymphoma, 1,054 rectum, 884 cheek /oral mucosa and 485 gall bladder cancer patients received treatment from 2015 to 2017 at NICRH,’ the report stated, adding that 77.2 per cent patients did not receive any kind of cancer treatment before attending NICRH.