Despite numerous implemented health programs, the number of people suffering from cancer is on the rise. The province of Lori in no exception. In 2000 some 1,000 patients were registered with the provincial cancer clinic, but this year the figure virtually doubled with 1,906 patients registered. What is behind this drastic increase in the number of people with cancer and what are the major problems that needs urgent intervention? The director of cancer clinic in Vanadzor Svetlana Zargarian says 64 percent of registered patients are women, who mainly suffer from breast cancer, there are also many detected cases of cancer growths in women’s sexual organs.
The most widespread cancer among men is lung cancer, 60 percent of them are heavy smokers. On general, the disease’s age varies between 20 to 1 years. In the first four months of the year 90 patients were registered with the clinic, of which 84 have malignant growths. The disease is already hitting people at younger age, thus out of 384 patients detected to have cancerous growths last year, 11 were children of whom one was three years old. Among many reasons causing cancer Mrs. Zargarian mentioned the polluted air and dangerous ingredients in food and emotional shocks, caused by dire social and economic conditions.
If the disease is identified at an early stage prevention of its spread is frequently possible. However, in Vanadzor, the capital of the province, there are no facilities to detect it. Only clinics in Yerevan and Gyumri have equipment to detect cancer. Many people cannot afford travelling to these cities, the examination is delayed and very often doctors cannot save lives. The cancer clinic in Vanadzor has been working for already fifteen years in temporary shelters with the absence of elementary working conditions; even the sewage does not work.
By Manvel Mikoyan
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