Existing situation & problems surrounding clinical oncology in Bangladesh.
Over all Government health infrastructure for health care delivery in Bangladesh is very good, though current scenario in relation to the Clinical Oncology in Bangladesh administered by a National Council for cancer control is inadequate. And the facilities for creating cancer awareness, screening, diagnosis, and treatment (i.e. multidisciplinary approach, radiation treatment facilities, availability of cancer chemotherapeutic agents, palliative care facilities are not sufficient enough to meet the need of cancer afflicted patients. Most of the patients present themselves in an very advanced stage due to illiteracy, ignorance, lack of cancer awareness, religious prejudice, cheaper and easy availability of non traditional i.e. quackery treatment, inadequate diagnostic facilities to most of the cancer centers, and low socioeconomic status. Top ranking malignancies in male are: Bronchogenic carcinoma, carcinoma of the oropharynx, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, hypopharynx, carcinoma of unknown primary sites (CUP), lymphoma and carcinoma of the liver. Top ranking malignancies in female are: Carcinoma of the cervix, breast, esophagus, bronchus, oropharynx, ovary, larynx, stomach, oral cavity, & hypopharynx. Irrespective of sex, the top ranking malignancies are: carcinoma of the bronchus, esophagus, oropharynx, cervix, & larynx. Head neck cancers comprise about more than one third of all malignancies, which is more significant findings in our country. Early detection and prevention of cancer deserves a serious thought and urgent attention especially for developing country like ours, where cost benefit analysis is the predominant factor.
Alam
A M M Shariful
AM
Department of Radiotherapy, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong-4203, Bangladesh.
D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015996:Survival Rate