By Abdul Rauf Beig | NT NETWORK
PANAJI: Breast cancer operations continue to be the largest number of cancer-related operations performed by the surgeons at the Goa Medical College, with their number being 198 of 430 cancer operations in the year 2009 corresponding approximately to 46 per cent while the number of breast cancer operations in the current year until September 18 was 75 from among 152 cancer-related operations done, accounting for 49 per cent.
According to the information provided by the surgery department of the GMC, of the total 1,230 routine surgeries performed by the GMC surgeons last year, 430 were cancer related (non-emergency) operations, which accounted for nearly 35 per cent of total operations. Though cancer operations are also carried out at some private hospitals their number could not be ascertained in the view of non-availability of data with any agency.
This year up to September 18, the GMC doctors performed 152 cancer operations of which 75 (49 per cent) were of breast cancer. The number of gastrointestinal tract operations till that period is 37, accounting for little over 24 per cent, while head, face and neck surgeries relating to cancer were 27 in number and accounted for 17 per cent. The number of other cancers accounted for 17 this year accounting for over 8 per cent.
The doctors further said that the number of gastrointestinal tract cancer operations in the year 2009 was 103 (24 per cent), while that of head, face and neck surgeries pertaining to cancer was 73 (17 per cent). The thoracic tumor cases operated at the GMC were 26 (6 per cent), while hepatobiliary cases were 17 in number that accounted for 4 per cent of the total cancer cases. The number of other cancer operations was 13 (three per cent)
The GMC doctors said that this year the number of operations (both emergency and routine) has come down due to closure of emergency operation theatre for renovation and the doctors have to share the routine operation theatre for emergency cases. They further said that space, training, equipments and inadequate staff in surgery and anaesthesia departments were the other restrains because of which the operations have to be curtailed.
Besides, cancer surgeries the GMC also provides cancer related chemotherapy to 30-40 patients per week said Dr Dilip Amonkar, professor and head of surgery department, which includes breast, gastrointestinal tract, head, face and neck, lymphomas and other cases. The GMC doctors also operate patients suffering from rare cancers like skin, etc.
