Abstract:
Cancer a name one loves to listen only for a zodiac sign but not as a morbidity. Globally, cancer
is one of the leading causes of death. Cancer remains the leading cause of both morbidity and
mortality in this living world. Cancer or neoplasia simply means the unwanted growth of the cell
in different organs. This may be due to chemical, physical or genetic conditions making it a fatal
non-communicable disease. Countries like Nepal or with low or medium income one have this
as a burden to treat. For the treatment of this cancer there is no proper medication but there are
some which may be curable with an expensive cost that one cannot afford from a country like
ours. More smoke of any form of tobacco products,alcohol and unhealthy diet are at high risk of
being diagnosed. One should do regular exercise and take proper diet and suppress use of
tobacco products and alcohol to get prevented.

Key words: cancer, morbidity, mortality, burden, diagnosed, prevented

Abbreviation:
WHO: World Health Organization
MoHP: Ministry of Health and Population
NCOR: Nepal Cancer Organization and Resources
DHS: Department of Health Science

Short presenting:

According to WHO, in more than 9.6 million this disease had been fatal covering 70% from low
and middle income countries. The mortality of cancer is at its peak by lung cancer followed by
colorectal cancer,stomach cancer, liver cancer. From the findings and report from WHO cancer
is more fatal in females than in males in context of Nepal with a rate of 7400 and 6900
respectively. One with excessive alcohol, smoking tobacco products,smoke from the household,
physically inactive and people with obesity are at high risk of being diagnosed from this disease.

Based on annual report from MoHP, DHS, Nepal in 2018 ,the morbidity of the cancer in Nepal
between 2016-2017 was found to be 13,997 cases with Bagmati Province leading the morbidity
by 9053 cases followed by Gandaki Province and with least in Karnali Province with 70 cases.
Similarly it is estimated that the diagnosed cases in 2019 with the rate of 38.2 per 100,000 and
in 2020 with rate of 39.6. In Nepal the highest morbidity was noted for Cervix, Breast Cancer for
females and Lung cancer for males. In the context of Nepal the burden due to cancer is due to
expensive cost of treatment followed by lower economic status and inadequate supply of the
chemotherapeutic molecules. Normally in government the estimated cost for the treatment is
about 70$ and in private hospitals is 4 times the cost in government hospitals.

Fig 1: Observed cancer Incidence for male and female in Nepal from 2003-2017 and estimated
Incidence from 2018-2020

One who is diagnosed with cancer has to endure the treatment cost or cost their life at risk.
There is no proper health insurance system in our country. But the government is trying to
address this burden with some long-term sustained plans and policy. The government has
imposed heavy taxes on tobacco products and alcohol. For the government to work on the
burden, the government should nurture organic manure and decrease the use of insecticide and
pesticides in the field. Similarly,cancer screening facilities should be paid in every Health care
center thought-out the country with well trained personnel. This will on one hand help in early
diagnosis and treatment and on other hand may somewhat decrease the burden.

Conflict of interest:
To know more about the disease for the leading cause of death in my country.

References:
World Health Organization ( Cancer country profile 2018)
Ministry of Health and Population , Department of Health Science Kantipur Post MedCrave

By
Bishal Regmi
MBBS 1st year student
Janaki Medical College, Janakpurdham