A Report on Monitoring Survey of Cancer Risk Factors and Health System Response in North East India: Assam by the National Center for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR) of the Indian Council of Medical Research was released at Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) on 9th November 2022. The report was released by Dr.Nilmadhab Das, Director of Health Services, Government of Assam. Dr.Prashant  Mathur, Director of NCDIR joined the report releasing ceremony via webinar. Dr.Kandarpa Kumar Das, Joint Director of Health Services, Kamrup (Metro) attended the Report Release Ceremony as the Distinguished Guest.

As per the report, the prevalence of current tobacco users in Assam was 48.4%. The mean age of initiation of tobacco use was 20.9 years. Around 37% of respondents in the survey reported exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, either at home, workplace, or travel. According to the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke is known to cause cancer. It has more than 7,000 chemicals, including at least 70 that can cause cancer. The survey found that as many as 74.7% of respondents were consuming areca nut and pan masala. The consumption of alcohol was seen in 31.13% of respondents in the state of Assam. The mean age of initiation of alcohol was 22.5 years. The survey found that more than 1% of the population consumed red meat regularly and 73.7% of respondents consumed preserved or fermented foods.  In Assam, the findings of the survey indicate that 28% of adults have high blood pressure, which was slightly higher in urban areas compared to rural regions. In reference to World Health Organization cut-off values, the survey found that 12% of the population was overweight and 2.1% were obese. The prevalence of raised blood sugar was 8%. The survey found that around 27% of the population never checked their blood pressure. Also, it was seen that only 23.5% of the population was aware of cancer screening for common cancers like mouth, breast, and uterine cervix. The health system response assessment found that only 10% of surveyed Primary Health Centers provide cancer-screening services. None of the District Hospitals in Assam provided regular cancer screening services to the population at risk. The survey further found that only 10% of private secondary health facilities provided cancer screening and of the, only 33% had basic cancer diagnostic and treatment facilities. The HPV vaccination for protection against cervical cancer was provided by 14% of District Hospitals in the state of Assam. 

According to Dr.Amal Chandra Kataki, Director of BBCI, a strong awareness drive against tobacco and alcohol consumption must be carried out to mitigate health risks. Also, mass awareness regarding common cancer screening should be done among the population of the state. The introduction of tobacco cessation counseling facilities at primary and community health centers should be done to facilitate tobacco quitting among the rural population of the state. It is high time to train doctors and healthcare workers at primary and community health centers regarding the early symptoms and signs of common cancers in Assam like oral, throat, esophagus, breast, gallbladder, and uterine cervix cancers further informed Dr.Kataki.