LARKANA, Feb 22: Speakers at a one-day seminar on “Cancer is Curable”, held here the other day, said a national cancer registration programme should be started in the country.

Highlighting the importance of the programme, Dr Siraj Ahmad Abbasi, the director, Larkana Institute of Nuclear Medicines and Radiotherapy, said record of cancer cases would help in controlling the disease.

Under this programme, doctors would have to fed data to a center for future assessment and planning, he added.

Surgeon Sikandar Ali Shaikh of the Chandka Medical College Hospital said out of 124 cases of breast disorder, reported at the hospital in 2002, 62 were diagnosed as that of breast cancer and 14.4 per cent cases of goitre were diagnosed as that of cancer.

He said most of goitre cases were referred from Warah in Larkana district and Khairpur district.

The speakers were of the opionion that environment was a key factor in developing cancer.

Prof Rafia Baloch said six million people died of cancer every year in the world.

She said one case of cancer was diagnosed in women after every seventh minute in the world, adding that ovarian cancer was the most common.

She informed the participants that according to recent studies, of all the cancer cases reported in the country, 25 per cent were of oral cavity cancer, 19.6 per cent of breast cancer and 10.9 per cent of cervix cancer.

Prof Wazir Mohammad Shaikh said 60 to 70 per cent cases were caused by environmental factors.

He disclosed 14,000 cancer cases were reported in the country every year.

The principal of the Chandka Medical College, Larkana, Prof Noor Ahmad Channa, was the chief guest on the occasion.