‘Research, database crucial for cancer treatment’

The treatment arrangement for cancer patients could not be arranged in a planned way due to the absence of comprehensive research and a database on this fatal disease in the country, speakers at an event said yesterday.

While there is a need for making state-of-the-art treatment for all cancer patients affordable, maintaining a balanced lifestyle should be at the core of cancer prevention, they said at the first day of Bangladesh Cancer Congress, organised by Oncology Club of Bangladesh at Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka.

"However, no accurate statistics regarding the number of cancer patients and cancer-related fatalities in our country are available anywhere. As a result, the medical system cannot develop properly," said Dr Mustafa Aziz Sumon, associate professor of the radio oncology department at Kurmitola General Hospital.

Stating that the majority of cancer patients cannot afford treatment, he said, "Shortage of radiotherapy machines in the country is the biggest problem, which cannot be solved without government intervention."

Speakers at the congress also said around 2.5 lakh people in the country have been diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking at the session, Prof MA Hai, president of Oncology Club of Bangladesh, said the majority of cancer patients do not have access to treatment. "Our main problem is non-diagnosis, and Covid-19 has thrown everything into a more critical state."

Terming the government's initiative to establish cancer hospitals in all divisional cities "a very good initiative", he said, "But the implementation is time-consuming. Although some infrastructure has been developed in the last few years, the medical system is still lagging."

He said there are only 24 radiotherapy machines in the country, which needs at least 80 more. "The government cannot arrange all of these alone. There should be a collaboration with the private health sector to reduce the financial burden on patients."

Harvard Medical School of the United States, Bologna University of Italy, National Cancer Center Singapore, India's Tata Memorial Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center are the academic partners of this two-day international conference.

A total of 750 doctors and researchers, including 40 world-renowned cancer specialists from 18 countries participated in the event, according to the organisers.