Development of Cancer Care in Northeast India

Northeast India, a region of geographic, cultural, and ethnic diversity comprises of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and Sikkim. Geographically, two-thirds of the area is hilly terrain. The North Eastern Region (NER) shows marked diversity in customs, cultures, cuisines, traditions, and languages. The Aizawl district of Mizoram (269.4) and the Papumpare district of Arunachal Pradesh (219.8) have the highest age-adjusted incidence rates (AAR) of cancer among males and females, respectively. Meghalaya has the highest relative proportion of cancers associated with tobacco use, with 70.4% in men and 46.5% in women. This correlates with the high prevalence of tobacco use. The Dr Bhubaneswar Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati, was inaugurated in 1973. The Institute currently conducts M.Ch. Surgical Oncology, Head and Neck Oncology and Gynaecologic Oncology, and DM courses in Medical Oncology and Onco-pathology. The year 2019 saw the creation of a high-dose radioisotope therapy ward. Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) was started in 2021-2022. State Cancer Institute (SCI), Guwahati, houses a medical cyclotron, which is the only one in Northeast India. Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF) is a joint venture between the Government of Assam and the Tata Trusts, with a three-level cancer grid. The Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) offers holistic, subsidised cancer care to over 4000 new patients every year. North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) offers endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and mediastinoscopy services, enabling accurate staging of lung cancers. While the cancer care facilities in NER have grown over the years, it is not commensurate with the high incidence of cancers in the region.