HYDERABAD: Though every year many people fall prey to different types of cancer, it is surprising that the state does not have any statistics on the incidence of the deadly disease. Researchers, scientists, doctors and academicians are equally affected by the non-availability of a cancer registry.Whereas states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat maintain such a database, the state continues to lack an appropriate policy in tackling the disease.Dr PV Ramesh, principal secretary (Health) admitted as much while speaking to Express.“We do not have a state-wide cancer registry but I am not in a position to detail the developments regarding the same.” Dr Kiranam Chatti, a research scientist working in the field of breast and oral cancer at the Institute of Life Sciences says that such a scenario affects indigenous research.“Whenever we talk to physicians about the most prevalent types of local cancers, they are not able to give us any inputs.“When doctors themselves are depending on data from other states, who do we approach for indigenous research on cancer?” asks Dr Chatti.Dr Sudha Sinha, assistant professor of Medical Oncology in MNJ Cancer Hospital says, “There is no data available on various kinds of cancers, number of patients and different stages of cancer, causes, epistemology, regionwise and age-wise distributions, etc.” She added that a combined state registry with unique IDs for patients would help in data redundancy.Dr Senthil J Rajappa, consultant oncologist at the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital, feels that with the help of data available for reference, one can plan for better health services.“Prevention of cancer largely depends on maintaining records of the present day scenario,” he said.
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