It is unfortunate that the country is so dependent on revenue from the tobacco industry that cigarettes and bidi cannot be banned. Smoking is linked to many types of cancer, including cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, voice box, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney. Even passive smoking which children and other smokers are subjected to when one members of the family smokes inside the house around other family members, especially children. This increases the risk of lung cancer. But it’s not only smoking that’s harmful. Chewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the mouth, throat and pancreas. But in Meghalaya tobacco is still a hot selling product. Perhaps the campaign against tobacco has not gained the momentum it deserves. But there are enough studies to prove that staying away from tobacco or deciding to stop using it is an important way to help prevent cancer.
In Meghalaya the use of betel nut is also linked to stomach and oesophegal cancers but the State finds itself in a bind and cannot prohibit the chewing of betel but because this happens to be a source of livelihood for so many growers in Meghalaya. It’s a catch 22 situation. Its also true that a healthy lifestyle which comes with weight control, regular exercise and above all eating a healthy diet. Women are susceptible to cervical cancer, breast cancer and uterine cancer. Doctors always advise that women get regular check up in these vulnerable locations but as generally happens women always put off going for check-ups until it’s too late. Perhaps the awareness campaign for women to get themselves examined regularly to avoid preventable diseases like cancer needs to gain momentum.
The Harvard Health Publishing lays down a few ground rules to prevent cancer. They include avoiding exposure to industrial and environmental toxins such as asbestos, fibres, benzene, aromatic amines, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). There are infections that contribute to cancer such as hepatitis viruses, HIV and the and the human papillomavirus. Many are transmitted sexually or through contaminated needles. That is why there are free needle exchange programmes for drug addicts in most states barring Meghalaya. Doctors also suggest that quality sleep is a priority even if the evidence linking poor sleep to cancer is not strong. But they say poor and insufficient sleep is associated with weight gain which is a cancer risk factor. There are also suggestions from experts that getting enough Vitamin D which is near impossible to attain without a supplement, can keep cancers of the colon and prostate at bay. These are suggestions but doctors rue the fact that while cancer is preventable not enough is being done on the preventive aspects even as families spend considerable sums of money on the curative aspect, very often outside the state. People should know that NEIGRIHMS has some of the best treatment facilities for cancer patients today.
