Cancer institute to be established under BMU
BSS :
The number of cancer patients is increasing not only in Bangladesh but across the world. Therefore, a dedicated cancer institute will be established under the Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) with the aim of ensuring proper services for cancer patients.
Professor Dr Syed Md Akram Hussain, Chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) and member of Health Reform Commission disclosed, reports BSS.
“Singapore has a National Cancer Institute under its National University. In almost every country that has a medical university, there is also a cancer institute affiliated with it. Therefore, in the interest of advanced treatment, we are working to establish a cancer institute under BMU as well,” he said.
Regarding the rise in global cancer patients, he said, “The prevalence of cancer is increasing worldwide. Former WHO Director-General Margaret Chan had warned that a time would come when almost every family would have at least one cancer patient. Although it sounded unbelievable then, that prediction is gradually becoming a reality.”
Stating that there are currently around 20 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh, he said, “Every year, 250,000 to 300,000 new cases are detected, and more than half of them die. Tobacco use and adulterated food are the primary reasons behind this alarming rise.”
He noted, “One-third of cancers in Bangladesh are directly linked to smoking and tobacco use. Even more frightening is the presence of toxic chemicals in our food chain-formalin in milk and fish, arsenic in water, excessive pesticides in crops and so on. From breakfast to dinner, nothing seems safe.”
Citing a study, he said, “Soil from brinjal fields in Jamalpur showed dangerously high levels of heavy metals like lead, nickel, cadmium, copper, and zinc. These infiltrate crops through fertilizers and pesticides and remain even after cooking. Street foods such as fritters and jilapi are often fried repeatedly in burnt oil. Urea is mixed to whiten puffed rice.
Toxic substances like ethylene are used to ripen fruits. Even disposable plastic cups release carcinogenic chemicals when hot tea or water is poured into them.”
He further said, “Dhaka’s air is one of the most polluted in the world. It is often said that the damage caused by Dhaka’s polluted air can be even greater than the harm caused by smoking. Because the carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emitted from vehicle exhaust are degrading the air quality. Added to this is the waste from the tannery industry.
Tannery waste or scraps are being burned to illegally produce poultry feed, which contains dangerous heavy metals like chromium. When we eat the meat of ducks, chickens, fish, or livestock raised on this feed, that poison indirectly enters our bodies. Especially those who prefer fast food are becoming the biggest victims of this toxicity.”
Despite cancer being more common above age 70, he noted that cases among people under 50 are rising in Bangladesh. “Smoking among youth has increased,” he said.
Dr. Syed Akram said, “Just as food adulteration is a major problem in the country, occupational hazards are also one of the leading causes of cancer.”
As an example, he mentioned the shipbreaking industry in Chattogram. Various materials inside dismantled ships contain large amounts of asbestos. While cutting these ships, fine asbestos particles become airborne and enter the workers’ lungs through inhalation, which is a definite cause of lung cancer. According to government regulations, ships containing asbestos are not permitted to enter the country. But because this law is not being properly enforced, thousands of workers are facing death.
He also said, “Nowadays, the risk of cancer is increasing due to infectious causes as well-for example, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Hepatitis B and C viruses. In our country, liver cancer is rising at an alarming rate because of Hepatitis B. Meanwhile, there are many misconceptions or myths among people about cancer. Some believe it is a contagious disease or a hereditary curse. Due to a lack of awareness, people often do not realize that cancer has already taken hold in their bodies.”
“In our country, 50 percent of patients die because the disease is not detected at an early stage. Except for breast cancer, most cancer patients come to doctors when their disease has already progressed to stage three or four. At that point, doctors do not have much they can do. In fact, with personal hygiene, awareness, and following proper preventive measures, many of these infection-related cancers can be largely prevented,” he said.
He said, “Bangladesh needs at least 300 radiotherapy machines, but there are only 20 functioning machines in both public and private sectors combined. Our medical university has only one machine, and that too malfunctions from time to time. As a result, patients have to wait up to four months to get a serial for radiotherapy. But for cancer patients, waiting more than one to one and a half months means the disease can spread throughout the body.”
Dr. Syed Akram said, “This enormous crisis cannot be tackled through government efforts alone. For this, a joint initiative between the public and private sectors, or a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), is necessary. If private hospitals are given duty-free benefits for importing cancer treatment equipment and loans on easy terms, they will come forward.”
He added, “Every year, nearly 6 billion dollars leave the country for medical treatment abroad. If this money could be invested in the healthcare sector within the country, treatment for most patients could be provided in Bangladesh. At the same time, a huge amount of foreign currency could be saved. During COVID, we saw that patients received services domestically, and doctors were successfully able to provide service.”
As a member of the Health Reform Commission, he also mentioned several recommendations for cancer control.
He said, “Among the 32 recommendations of the commission on cancer control, recommendation number 28 is extremely important. It proposes initiating screening programmes for major cancers such as cervical, breast, lung, and head-and-neck cancers. If diseases like oral cancer are included in these screenings, they can be detected at an early stage. This would allow many patients to recover with minimal or straightforward treatment, avoiding complications.”
He proposed that every 100-bed hospital in the country should have an ‘Early Detection Cancer Center’. “Facilities like colonoscopy, endoscopy, biopsy, CT scan, and MRI must be ensured there. The government can also make agreements with private hospitals so that patients can access diagnostic services free of charge or at a low cost alongside government hospitals. This would save both time and money needed for building new infrastructure.
Additionally, at least one cancer consultant should be appointed in every district hospital. Furthermore, works are underway to build new cancer centers in eight divisional medical colleges. If these are launched quickly, patient pressure on Dhaka will reduce, and people in remote areas will receive healthcare locally,” he added.
When asked whether doctors need special training in cancer treatment, Dr Syed Akram said, “Modern technology has already begun to be used in cancer treatment at BMU. Research is ongoing on artificial intelligence (AI) in radiotherapy, next-generation sequencing (NGS) for targeted therapy, and other areas. BMU has also signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with various national and international institutions. Joint collaboration is planned with Harvard Medical School as well. This will give domestic doctors opportunities for training and research, which will play a major role in patient care.”
Regarding the early signs of cancer, the BMU physician said, “Persistent cough, coughing up blood, abnormal vaginal bleeding, blood in urine or stool, sudden constipation or diarrhea, unexplained rapid weight loss, and prolonged fever can be signs of cancer. If such symptoms appear, one must consult a doctor immediately without delay.”
He emphasized regular screening, saying, “People over 50 should get prostate, colonoscopy, and mammogram tests. Women should examine their breasts in front of a mirror monthly and undergo VIA tests or Pap smear tests to prevent cervical cancer. Smokers should have at least one chest X-ray or low-dose CT scan per year.”
Furthermore, Dr Syed Akram said that cancer does not mean death if detected early. With awareness, proper diet, pollution-free environments, and timely medical treatment, this deadly disease can be overcome, he said.
He expressed strong optimism that if the government and wealthy members of society step forward, world-class cancer treatment could be ensured in Bangladesh.