The Hindu : 'Liquor consumption triggers oesophageal cancer in Chennai'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 05, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

'Liquor consumption triggers oesophageal cancer in Chennai'

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai June 4. A rise in the incidence of cancer of the food pipe reported in Chennai over more than a decade, could be linked to factors like growth in liquor consumption and malnutrition among the poor.

Oesophageal cancer, the third most common form of cancer among men, manifests in the adult population primarily through difficulty in swallowing. Drinking, smoking, and poor nutrition separately or in combination are linked to oesophageal cancer, while drinking of very hot tea and coffee is another factor linked to the disease.

In men, stomach cancer ranked number one and oesophageal cancer third, says the November 2001 Publication of Population based tumour Registry in Chennai on Patterns and Trends of Cancer Incidence and Mortality during 1984 -1998. What is more alarming, oesophageal cancer has shown an increase in the crude incidence rate (CIR).

In women, stomach cancer ranks fourth and oesophagus the fifth. Again, there is an increase in the crude incidence rate in the nineties, compared to 1984-88. Another interesting observation is that the incidence of oesophageal cancer among muslim women is about 2-3 fold higher than Hindus and Christians.

The increase in annual crude incidence rate of oesophageal cancer among men was 25 per cent in 1989-93 and 23 per cent in 1994-98, from 1984-88. Among women, there was no difference in crude incidence rate between 1984-88 and 1989-93, but there was a 14 per cent increase between 1994-98.

Oesophageal cancer is mostly detected only when swallowing of food becomes difficult. Often, the detection takes place only when the tumour has affected two-thirds of the food pipe's circumference. While advanced diagnostic techniques such as barium swallow, endoscopy, ultrasound and CT scan make it possible to detect the problem, surgery promises effective management of the tumour, improving the quality of life for the patient, as he can then eat. In other cases, it is possible to put in a stent or resort to radiotherapy for management.

It is not just cancer that stalks the oesophagus. The food pipe in many cases suffers damage due to behaviour triggered by social conditions. Consumption of acid or alkali in a fit of anger or despair is one such. The ``acid drinking'' resorted to by some, can damage not just the oesophagus, but also the stomach if it is concentrated and in large volume. Where the healing producers scars, it could lead to strictures and dysphagia (inability to swallow) later. The corrosive elements could also trigger cancer at a later stage, doctors warn.

Among the more affluent, a set of factors like obesity, smoking drinking and eating of fatty food produces gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), experienced as a ``chest burning'' feeling.

In the context of the growing concern over diseases of the oesophagus, the Indian Section of International Society for Diseases of Esophagus is organising the First International Conference and workshop on the Diseases of Esophagus in the second week of February 2003 in the city.

Importance will be given to diseases affecting Indian population as there is a distinct difference in the aetilogy, pathology and management of oesophageal diseases affecting Asians compared to the Western population. Dysphagia in the West is considered a ``luxury'' illness while in this country, it is not so, says S.M.Chandramohan, the Secretary General of the conference.

International and national faculty who have done specialised work on the diseases of oesophagus will take part in interactive sessions, panel discussions and symposia. The faculty will be from surgical and medical gastroenterology, surgical and medical oncology, general surgeons, physicians, thoracic surgery, radiology and radiation oncology.

The conference chairman is N. Rangabashyam. The wesbsponsor for the event, GE Care has put up a website with the URL www.gecare.org and Email: smchandra@yahoo.com, to highlight the conference features.

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'Liquor consumption triggers oesophageal cancer in Chennai'