Lung cancer on the rise among women in Karnataka

November 29, 2015

Bengaluru, Nov 29: Incidence of lung cancer among women in Bengaluru is on the rise, say doctors at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology.

Dr Ramesh C, professor and head of the Department of Epidemiology, Kidwai, said even about five years ago, lung cancer among women was not even on the list of top ten cancers. But now, it is the seventh most common kind of cancer.

“Karnataka sees about 2,700 lung cancer cases every year. Of these, 1,200 are new cases. Earlier, we used to see only about 400 to 500 cases. This indicates an increasing trend in the numbers,” he said.

There are less number of cancer cases in the developed countries because a lot is being done to create awareness about the disease. However, in the developing countries, the cases are constantly rising, said Dr Ramesh. “Among the common risk factors are active and passive smoking, use of asbestos in industries and air pollution,” he added.

With a large number of women, mostly from the IT industry, taking to smoking, the numbers are high, said Dr Govind Babu, professor, Medical Oncology, Kidwai.

In what could be a dangerous idea to reduce weight, women take to smoking as it suppresses their appetite, said Dr Babu. “This is common, especially among the younger people. They take to smoking as an easy way to lose weight. Little do they realise they will end up losing organs,” he said.

Dr Ramesh said women who work in the fields also choose tobacco as an option to reduce frequent thirst and fatigue.

Passive smoking also has many women at risk. This apart, the City residents are at a risk when plastic is burnt or pollution is high, he said.

Most cases of lung cancer reach Kidwai in the late stages. “The symptoms are no different from tuberculosis. For long periods, people get treated for TB and it is too late by the time it is diagnosed as cancer. All that can be done then is to provide them palliative care,” said Dr Babu.

November is observed worldwide as Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the International Association for Study of Lung Cancer, lung cancer accounts for about 27 per cent of all cancer deaths.

Worldwide, each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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