Only 1 among 3 children survives tumor in Kashmir, reveals study

Srinagar, Feb 26: The survival rate of cancers among children in Kashmir is lower than many other parts of the country. Getting diagnosed in later stages of the disease, just one out of three patients achieves remission - a study carried on pediatric cancer patients of Kashmir has shown. Poor infrastructure for detection of cancers in early stages forever slashes the chances of life for pediatric patients in Kashmir.

The study “A Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: A Single Institution Experience in Kashmir” published in Indian Journal of Medical and Pediatric Oncology concluded - “across the series, advanced stage of presentation, a high incidence of default and poor follow-up was seen”. The study found that “multiple inter-related factors” were responsible for the poor outcome of children with cancer in Kashmir. Aimed at studying various aspects of cancers among children in Kashmir, the kind of treatments they received and how they fared. The 2017 study is the only one in this part of the world with focus on children. Over 300 children with solid tumors were studied. Solid tumors constitute a third of all cancers in children. “Based on our study, we could better evaluate the status of our efforts to treat this subgroup of patients and deliver improved care,” the research said.

Among the patients registered at SKIMS Soura for cancer treatment, nearly 5 percent were children. A majority of the patients (55%) were adolescents (12-19 years), while 39 percent were aged between 2 years and 11 years.

An important finding of the study was that the majority of the patients in Kashmir were adolescents, a major difference from international data where most of the pediatric patients are in the 0-4 year age group. Prof Nisar A Bhat, Head Pediatric Surgery at SKIMS Soura was part of the study. While speaking to Greater Kashmir he said a number of factors are responsible for patients getting detected late."In children, a lot of symptoms are missed by doctors," he said while urging people to seek expert advice in case of recurrent health issues for children. "Don't waste time here and there trying all kinds of therapies," he said.

Of the studied patients, only 34 percent were in remission – their cancer was disappearing. A larger number – 35.6 percent were defaulters – had left following up with their disease. A huge 21 percent passed away. “It is clear that the patients in J&K present in an advanced stage and have worse outcomes,” the researchers state.

One of the major reasons for poor prognosis of pediatric cancer patients in Kashmir is the lack of financial resources, the research finds. With many cancer diagnostic facilities still burning a hole in the pockets of people, many parents fall back on regular screening and tests that could help in early detection. In addition, the researchers believe that the “lack of awareness of the meaning of symptoms, and difficulty in accessing healthcare, abandonment of treatment, and of course, belief in alternative medicines, contribute to advanced stage presentation”. It has been urged that the improved and advanced diagnostic facilities be made available to patients, including the turnaround time. “The modalities of treatments need to be implemented to improve the outcomes of our patients,” they underline.