A seminar titled “Burden of Cancer in Bangladesh: Population-Based Cancer Registry” was held today at the BSMMU Super Specialized Hospital in the capital. Photo: BSMMU

   DHAKA, Feb 1, 2025 (BSS) – One hundred and six people out of one lakh people in Bangladesh suffer from cancer in Bangladesh with the disease currently causing 12 percent of total deaths in the country, said a BSMMU study report released here today.

   “Thirty eight types of cancer have been identified In Bangladesh while most of these found to be breast, mouth, stomach, respiratory tract, and cervical cancers,” BSMMU public health and informatics department’s principal researcher and associate professor Dr Md Khalequzzaman said outlining the report.

   He said the country witnesses growing number of cancer cases with detection of 53 patients among a population of one lakh every year.

    The report was revealed at a seminar titled “Burden of Cancer in Bangladesh: Population-Based Cancer Registry” at the BSMMU’s Super Specialized Hospital joined by Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant with sate minister's status Professor Dr Md Sayedur Rahman as the chief guest.

   Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) conducted the study on the overall situation of population-based cancer in the country.

   Khalequzzaman said 93 percent of cancer patients are aged between 18 and 75 years, 2.4 percent are children and 5.1 percent are over 75 years of age.

   The study was carried out among 201,668 participants from 46,631 households, with 48.4 percent being male and 51.6 percent female at Kishoreganj’s Hossainpur Upazila.

   The study was launched in July 2023 on 200,000 people while the data was collected through interviews using specially developed internet-based cancer registration software.

   Khalequzzaman said the absence of a population-based cancer registry (PBCR) in Bangladesh prompted the facility to carry out the study adding that the cancer situation was so far being estimated using data from neighboring countries.
   
   According tom the team follow-up visits began in July 2024 on completion of the study.

   The study results show that the five most common cancers were breast (16.8 percent), lip and oral cavity (8.4 percent), stomach (7 percent), larynx (7 percent), and cervix (5.1 percent).

   The top 3 newly included cancers were lung cancer (16.1 percent), liver cancer (12.9 percent) and laryngeal cancer (12.9 percent).

   Among female cancer patients, 19 percent of the cases were related to reproductive system, including cervical (11 percent), ovarian (5 percent), and uterine (3 percent) cancers.

   The study found 60.6 percent of female cancer patients are smokeless tobacco users, while 46 percent of patients have a relationship with e-tobacco consumption, 60 percent of cancer patients received combined treatment and 7.4 percent of patients received no treatment.

   On the other hand, 75.8 percent of male cancer patients were smokers, while 46 percent of them did not intake tobacco.

   It found 60 percent of cancer patients received multiple treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, while 7.4 percent of patients received no treatment after diagnosis.

   BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam, Pro Vice Chancellors Professor Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Professor Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman Howlader, Treasurer Professor Dr. Nahrin Akhtar, Line Director of the Directorate of Health, Professor Dr. Syed Zakir Hossain spoke at the seminar.

   Chairman of the Department of Public Health and Informatics, Professor Dr. Md. Atiqul Haque gave the welcome speech at the event.

   The chief guest said that there is no alternative to research in creating new knowledge and BSMMU should conduct more researches that could benefit patients assuring continued government supports for the purpose.

   According to the study other co-morbidities among cancer patients included hypertension (17 percent), diabetes (11 percent), heart disease (6 percent), chronic kidney disease (3 percent), and stroke (2 percent).