Background:
Gall bladder cancer accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths. Incidence varies geographically with higher rates in certain areas and among women is approximately double than that of men.
Aim:
The present communication makes an attempt to analyze the time trends of gallbladder cancer for people of Gangetic West Bengal
Methods:
From our hospital based cancer registry we analyzed all cancer patients, who attended outpatient and inpatient departments from August 2004 to December 2012. A total of 20, 400 cases were registered. A comparison between total and gall bladder cases belonging to gangetic West Bengal were drawn. The Gangetic West Bengal consisted of Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, Burdwan, Hooghly, Howrah and 24 Pgs(S) through which districts the river Ganga flows. A detailed dietary, water consumption and lifestyle history were noted for those patients.
Results:Among patients residing in Gangetic belt (8,000), gall bladder cancer ranked third and was 16%. The probable reason noticed was particular dietary habits of Bengalis. They fast till noon for 2 or 3 times a week for some particular religious reasons and then were habituated to take fatty diet. Fasting Muslim people tend to relish on spicy and fatty foods. Second history was repeated Sulmonella typhi infection because of contaminated water supply leading to chronic cholecystitis. Third arsenic contamination of drinking water in gall bladder producing carcinoma. Last and most important factor is consumption of polluted water of the river Ganga which the Indians drink as pure water. The heavy metals deposited, were Molybdenum, Mercury and Lead because of industrial pollution along the river bank.
Conclusions:
Statistically, gall bladder cancer in this part is highest in India and second highest in the World . We intend to take preventive measures of gall bladder cancer by proper awareness and changing diet and drinking habit of people of this area