Red meat causing rectal cancer in Kasargod, Kannur, says doctor

 In what may be an alarming news for the people in the coast, most cases of youngsters suffering from rectal cancer have been reported from Kannur and Kasargod in neighbouring Kerala state.

Briefing reporters at the fifth anniversary of Mangalore Institute of Oncology (MIO) here, its director Dr Suresh Rao attributed it to the consumption of red meat that includes beef, pork and mutton. The most victims are aged between 30 and 35 years, he said, speaking about the study of dietary pattern of the patients treated.

Another doctor said the number of affected lot is fast multiplying also due to the genes, with marriages among relatives on the rise in the same regions in Kerala.

Rao said that if not similar, the situation is no different in Mangaluru as the cases of breast and colon cancers are being reported from urban areas and high prevalence of cervical and head and neck cancers in rural areas.

Delineating on the plans on the anvil to incorporate state-of-the-art technology in treating cancer patients, Rao said advancement in robotics will be added for surgeries, while higher end radiation treatment is also on the cards.

Ananthakrishna, former chairman of Karnataka Bank, who recently joined MIO as its honorary president, said, “It’s high time that measures are taken on war footing to check cancer, with cancer set to become ‘emperor of maladies’ by the year 2020.”

MIO which has completed five years of its inception has organised a programme ‘An evening of achievement’ at 6 pm on May 20 at MIO Lawns, near Pumpwell in the city. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies U T Khader will be the chief guest, while MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLC Ivan D’Souza and corporator Praveen Chandra Alva will be the guests of honour. Senior cardiologist Dr A V Shetty will deliver keynote address.

Hegde’s claims pooh-poohed

Dr Jalaluddin Akbar, oncologist at Mangalore Institute of Oncology (MIO), pooh-poohed the recent claims of renowned medical practitioner Dr B M Hegde.

When reporters sought to know whether Hegde was right in his claims degenerating various levels of treatment for cancer patients, Akbar said, “Most of his opinions lack scientific evidences. Moreover, Hegde has started to preach only after he has stopped practising medicine.’

Ananthakrishna, MIO president said, “Hegde is delving on ways to prevent cancer. But MIO is involved in the later stage in treating the affected lot’.