“Tale of Cancer Town from Malwa” Analysis of Pesticides usage and Cancer cases in Malwa Belt by IRJET Journal

“Tale of Cancer Town from Malwa” Analysis of Pesticides usage and Cancer cases in Malwa Belt

Mihir Gupta

Student, The International School, Bangalore, Karnataka ***

Abstract: Thispaper offers acomprehensiveoverviewofcancer casesandthespecifictypesofcancersprevalentin aparticularregion oftheworld,withafocusontheenvironmental factorscontributing tothisissue.Itdelvesintothe extensiveuseofpesticidesintheMalwabelt,providingstatisticaldataonthenumber ofcancer casesinthe area. The studypresents solidevidence supporting the correlation betweenthe rising incidence of cancer and environmental pollution, specifically air and soil contamination resulting from pesticide usage and the burning of crop waste. The findings underscore the urgent need foraddressing these environmental concerns to mitigate the health risks posed to the localpopulation andreduce theincidence ofcancerinthe affected region.

KEY WORDS:Cancer,Pesticides,environmental,Carcinogens

WhyIchosethistopic:

I decided to write about the usage of pesticides and cancer cases in the Malwa district in order to raise awareness of a serious public health concern that has important environmental ramifications. The concerning increase in cancer cases that may be related to pesticide exposure highlights the urgent need forintervention. By researching this subject, I hope to increase public knowledge and promote better healthcare policies, sustainable farming methods, and community protection.

1. Introduction:

Cancerisdevelopedwhensomegroupofcellshaveuncontrolledgrowthandspreadinhumanbody.Itiscomplexgroupof disease which affects some part of human body ex. Skin, breast, lung, prostate etc. Maincauses of cancer are genetic mutations, environment factors or lifestyle factors. The capacity of cancer to spread to other parts of the body, infiltrateneighbouringtissues,anddevelopoutofcontrolaresomeof itskeytraits.Cancercantakealotofformsin your body, some common forms being Sarcomas, lymphomas, leukaemia, and carcinomas. Prolong Exposure to carcinogensisoneofthemostcommon waysto initiatecancer inhuman body. Carcinogens arethosebiological and chemical substances that alter the genetic material (DNA) within cells leading to uncontrolled cell group or cancer formation.Somecarcinogensstraightawaydon’talterDNA,theypromoterapidcelldivisionincreasingchancesofgenetic errors.

Wecandividedcarcinogensbasedontheir nature:

1. Physical carcinogens include ultraviolet radiation from the sun, ionizing radiation from medicalimaging tests,radon indwellings, and X-rays.

2. Chemical carcinogensinclude arsenic, which isfound naturally inthe air,water, and soil, asbestos,tobaccosmoke,alcohol-containing drinks,andaflatoxin,afungusthatcontaminatesfood.

3. Biologicalcarcinogens includeparasitic,bacterial, andviralinfections.

2. Risk Factors of Cancer:

Cancer is not likecommunicable disease that can communicate with humanusing touch or contact. Cancer can have various riskfactors suchas:

1. Genetic Factors: Cancer can be passed on to generations cause share DNA mutation caused by other factors. But itisnot always true that cancer can pass through generations. There are someevidences insome types ofcancers suchas breast, ovarian etc.

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2. Environmental Factors: Environmental factors are one of the major risk factors to cause cancer inhumans. Exposure ofradiation such asUVRadiation cancauseserious issues.Carcinogens areagainone ofthe major issue,where biologicaland chemicalproducts can be contained withcancer causing carcinogens. Pollution isalsoanother reason.

3. Lifestyle: Excess tobacco and alcohol consumption can cause mutation in lungs and liver respectively causing cancer. Heavy carnivore diet can increase chances of colorectal cancer. Lessphysical activity and obesity canalsoaffectyourbodyandproduce cancer.

4. Biological factors andhormonal factors: Gendercan be anotherreasonas somecancers arebasicallyconnected with single gender like breast in women and prostate cancer in men. Age is also a factor as in old age, mutation due to carcinogens as body don’t have high immunity. Hormone replacement therapy that is becoming common nowadays can lead to gender oriented cancers. Bad reproduction history like early menopause, early birth etccancausegender related cancers.

3. Examples of Cancer in particular regions of world:

As we got to know that cancer can be cause by environmental reasons so in different places in world, environmental factors like climate, radiation, temperature, pollution can be different giving rise to high cases of cancer in that particular regions. Forexample:

a. LungCancer inChina:

Chinabeingoneofthebiggestindustrialcountriesofworld,hassomeseverepollutionissues.Duetohighair pollutioninmajor industrial towns orcities,there are quite a lotnumber oflungcancer cases. Additionally hightobacco smokingpopulation isalsoanadd-on factor.

b. SkinCancer inAustralia:

Australiabeingsituatedinsouthernhemispheresofearthexperienceddepletionofozonelayer. Ozonelayer don’tallowharmfulUVraystoenterearth,butdepletionofozonelayerduetoCFCsinsouthernpartofearth hascausedskincancer.TherearealotofskincancercasesinAustraliadueto thisreason.

c. Colorectal Cancer inUnited States:

UnitedStatesbeinghometoredmeateatingpopulation,isoneofthemajortargetofcolorectalcancer. High body mass index and meat eating habits are the somemain reasons of high numberof colorectal cases in US.

d. Cervical Cancer inSub Sahara Africaand India:

Presence of HPV (human papillomavirus) in these regions along with less awareness andvaccination of these infectionhas causedalotofcasesofcancer intheseregions.

One ofthese region isMalwa district ofPunjab, India where inrecent time number ofcancer caseshaveincreased.

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN:2395-0056

Volume: 11 Issue: 08 | Aug 2024 www.irjet.net p-ISSN:2395-0072

Figure 1: State wisecancer causes in India.

Citation - https://www.researchgate.net/figure/State-wise-Distribution-of-Cancer-and-Risk-Factors-SourceRef_fig1_326930434

4. Cancer in Malwa Region:

Malwa region in Punjab, India consist places likeBathinda, Mansa and Muktsar. In recent time, thereisan increase in number ofcancer caseshere and that’swhyitisalsocalled‘Cancer belt ofIndia’.

Malwa belt isalso known as cotton belt and isa major agricultural area.There are major factors that are the reason forhigh number ofcancer cases.

According to 2013 media report, there is average at least 90 cases per 100,000 people in Punjab. In Malwa belt, the numberbeing107per100,000 peoplewhichhigherthanaveragecasesofIndia.

Average cancer cases in India is 80 per 100,000 and comparing it with cases in Malwa region, there is a significant increase.

What iscausing cancer inMalwa Region?

a. Being agricultural land for so long, chemical and pesticides are being used in this area at alarmingrates. Excessive and inappropriate use of chemical have contaminated soil and water of the region impacting rural population.

b. Presence of heavy metals in pesticides and fertilizers like Cd, Cr, Zn, Fe, Ni and Pb has been linked to increasing casesofbreast cancer casesintheregion.

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c. Along with agriculture land, there are a lot of industries in these region. So due to not treating thepollutants from the factories properly, carcinogens materials like benzene, asbestos, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH).

Bhatindaisamajor cityinthis region and is alsocalled‘Cancer capital ofIndia’. Overall concentrationofuranium, over usage ofpesticides andexcess usage ofalcoholandtobacco aresomemajor reasons.

AsurveyconductedbyGovernment ofPunjab inthe region found:

S.No. District Population No.ofcancerpatients No.ofcancerpatients perlakh population

Thisnumber hasincreased significantinthepastyears.

Figure 2: Number of cancer patients per 100,000 people.

Citation- https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/punjab-cancer-capital-of-india-40255

FromabovefigureyoucandecodethatmajordistrictsunderMalwaregionhasthehighestnumberofcancer cases.

5. Prevention of Cancer in the region:

a. Primary:

 Alcohol & Tobacco consumption: The best chance of lowering the number of cancer fatalitiesfrom alcohol and tobacco use is through primary prevention of cancer. Primary prevention also controls alcoholandtobacco intake.

It's been calculated that quitting smoking wouldcut the annual cancer burden by more thana million cases.

 Personal Hygiene: Reductions in certain cancers, such as cervical cancer, may result fromimproved personal hygiene.

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 Radiation:Extracareshouldbetakentominimizeeachperson'sexposuretoradiation,especiallymedical radiation, whilemaintaining thedesired levelofhealth.

 Occupational exposures: Industries should implement policies that shield employees from industrial carcinogen exposure.

 Immunization: Vaccination against the Hepatitis B virus may be effective in cases of primaryliver cancer.

 Cosmetics, medications, and foods: They should allbe examined forcarcinogens.

 AirPollution: Anotherpreventive step is tocontrol air pollution.

 Treatment of Precancerous Lesions: One of the most crucial phases in cancer prevention is the early identification and timely treatment of precancerous lesions such as intestinal polyps, warts, chronic gastritis, chronic cervicitis,and cervicaltears.

 Law:Lawhasapartinprimarypreventionaswell.Legislationtorestrictenvironmentalcarcinogenslike alcohol, tobacco, and air pollution is one example of how legislatures mightaddress the cancer problem instead ofresearch labs.

 HealthEducation:Acrucialcomponentofprimary prevention ishealth education. Its goal istoencourage peopletoseekoutearlydiagnosisandexpensivetreatment.Amongthekeyindicators ofcancer warning signsare:

 Ahard spotorlump inthe breast; atransition to amoleor wartAn ongoing shiftinbowel and digestivepatterns

 Achronic coughorhoarsevoice

 An excessive loss of blood during the monthly period or blood loss outside of theregular periods

 Aswellingorsorethat does notgoaway

 Bloodlossfrom any naturalorifice(Opening)

 Inexplicableweightloss

b. Secondary:

 Registration for Cancer: Itoffers afoundation for determining thescopeofthe issueand fororganizing therequired services.Thereare essentiallytwokindsofcancerregistries:

 Registries located in hospitals: This covers every patient seen by a certain both inpatients and outpatients at the facility. The population in hospitals is always chosen, hence there is limited valueofthese registriesforepidemiologicalresearch.

 Registries based on population: Covering the whole cancer population in a specificgeographic area isthe goal ofthis. These registries' data canbe used to calculatetheincidence rate of cancer andas ahelpful epidemiological tool.

 Early Case Identification: The primarymethod for identifying cancer early, before itbecomesintrusiveor malignant,iscancerscreening.Asuccessfulscreening program hasbeenestablished fororal, breast, and cervicalcancer.

 Treatment: Palliative care, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery are available for thetreatment of cancer.

6. Cancer Train of India:

Around 9 pm every day, a train runs from Bhatinda Station of Malwa region to Bikaner in Rajasthan. The foremost exceptional include of this prepare is that 60% of its populace are cancer patients of all ages who come from all over

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Punjab.This12-coachpreparehaspickedupitstitlefromasuddenincrementincancercasesinPunjab thatnumerous faultonpesticideutilize,developingcontamination andbarely anyreaction byspecialists.

Onannormal,thisprepareisthehelpof100cancerpatientsdaybyday,beside200otherco-travellers and is nearly continuouslypressed toapproach capacity.

TheticketisestimatedatRs210,butforcancerpatientstheeighthourtraveltoBikanerisfree,whereas one going with orderly gets aconcessionof75percent.

Allthepatients onboardtheprepare attempt this travelto visitAcharyaTulsiTerritorial CancerClinicandInvestigate MiddleinRulerBijaySinghDedicationClinic,inBikaner,whichlikenumerousclinicsinPunjabisadditionallysecuredfor benefitsbeneaththeMukhMantriPunjabCancerRaahatKoshConspire (MMPCRKS).

7. Correlation and Regression in Statistics :

Correlation instatistics is afundamental concept used to quantify and describe the relationships between variables. It allowsustounderstand how two ormore variables are related and towhat extent changes inonevariablecorrespond tochangesinanother.Atitscore,correlationprovidesvaluableinsightsintopatternsandassociations within data.

The most commonly used measure of correlation is the Pearson correlation coefficient, denoted as "r." This coefficient assessesthestrengthanddirectionofthelinearrelationshipbetweentwocontinuousvariables.

A positive value of "r" suggests a positive linear correlation, meaning that as one variable increases, the other tends to increase aswell.

Conversely,anegativevalueof"r" indicates anegative linear correlation, where onevariabletends todecreaseasthe otherincreases.

Acorrelation coefficientofzerosignifiesnolinearrelationship between thevariables.

The formula forthe Pearson correlation coefficient (commonly denoted as "r") instatistics is as follows: n(∑xy) (∑x) (∑y)

��= √[n∑x2 (∑x)2]∗ √[n∑y2 (∑y)2]

Inthisformula:

 ‘r’ represents the Pearson correlation coefficient, which measures the strength and direction of thelinear relationship between two variables.

 ‘n’isthenumberofdatapoints(observations).

 ‘x’and ‘y’are the twovariables for whichyouwant to calculate the correlation.

 ∑xyrepresentsthe sumoftheproducts ofthecorresponding valuesofxandy.

 ∑x and ∑yrepresentthe sumsofallthe values ofxand yrespectively.

 ∑x2 and∑y2represent thesumsofthesquaresofallthevaluesofxandyrespectively.

Regression analysis is a vital statistical tool that plays a central role in understanding and quantifying relationships betweenvariables.Atitscore,regressionseekstomodelandpredictthebehaviourofadependent variable based onthe values ofone or more independent variables. Itprovides a systematicwaytoexplore andmeasure the impactofthese independent variables on the outcome of interest. The most common form of regression is linear regression, which assumesalinearrelationshipbetweenthevariables. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN:2395-0056

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8. Analysis and Calculations:

a. Pesticideusage inIndia, Punjab andMalwaBelt:

PesticideusageinIndia (In mttonnes)

Pesticideusagein Punjab (In mttonnes)

Pesticide usage in Malwa belt (In mttonnes)

 75%ofpesticides inPunjab isusedinMalwaBeltduetohighpercentageofcottonproduction.

Years vsPesticide Usage

PesticideusageinIndia(Inmttonnes)

PesticideusageinPunjab(Inmttonnes)

PesticideusageinMalwabelt(Inmttonnes)

b. Calculated usage ofPesticides inMalwaBelt:

In graph, x-axis as years from 2016 to 2023 and Y-axis will show usage of pesticides in Malwa Belt(in mt. tonnes)

Let’sconsider2016as1,2015as2....2023 as8.

After manuallydrawing graph and onexcel.

Weconcludedexponential equation coversmaximumnumberofplotsconsideringy=a*bx

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN:2395-0056

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Calculatedvs ActualData

CalculatedUsuageofpesticidesinMalwabelt(inmttonnes)

PesticideusageinMalwabelt(Inmttonnes)

Formula: y= 4227*(1.01)x

Where “y” represents usage of pesticides (in mt. tonnes) and “x” represents 1, 2,3……(1represents 2016, 2 represents2015 andsoon).

c. Cancer casesinBhatinda District(MajordistrictinMalwaBelt):

In graph, x-axis as years from 2016 to 2023 and Y-axis will show no. of cancer cases (in ‘000).Let’s consider 2016as1,2015as2 2023 as8.

After manuallydrawing graph and onexcel.

Weconcludedquadratic equationcoversmaximumnumber ofplotsconsidering y=ax2+bx+c

Actualvs CalculatedData

CalculatedUsuageofpesticidesinMalwabelt(inmttonnes)

PesticideusageinMalwabelt(Inmttonnes)

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN:2395-0056

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Formula: y= =0.5654*x2+7.2511*x-1.125

Where “y” represents no. of cancer cases (in ‘000) and “x” represents 1, 2,3……(1 represents 2016, 2 represents 2015 andsoon).

d. Correlation between pesticidesusage(inmt.tonnes)andnumberofcancercases:

Graph between pesticides usage in Malwa Belt (in mt. tonnes) at X-Axis and number of cancer cases in Bhatinda District(in‘000) atY-Axis.

Correlation factor = r = 0.9314

9. Conclusion:

TheremaybeaconnectionbetweenpesticideuseandpublichealthbecausetheMalwaregionofPunjab,India,hasseen asharpincreaseincancercases.Thisdistricthas ahigher than averagecancerincidencerate,accordingtoanumberof studies and reports, which has led to inquiries into farming methods and environmental variables. It has been determined that pesticides, whichare widely utilized inthe area to increase crop yields,are probably a factor inthe growing health crisis. Despite their effectiveness in controlling pests, these pesticides leave behind hazardous residues thatcan contaminate the air, water, and soil,seriouslyendangering the health ofthelocalpopulation.

Solving this problem requires a multimodal strategy. Important actions include encouraging organic and sustainable farmingmethods,tighteningregulationsandmonitoringofpesticideusage, and raising public knowledge of the risks associated with pesticide exposure.In the Malwadistrict,frequenthealthexaminationsandtheprovisionofhealthcare facilitiescanalsoaidintheearly diagnosis andtreatmentofcancer, hencelowering death rates.

In conclusion, Malwa's startling cancer rates underscore the pressing need for all-encompassingsteps to lessen the negative consequences of pesticide use. The region can strive to protect its people from the devastation caused by cancerbyimplementingsaferfarmingtechniquesandfortifyingitshealthcare system.

10. References:

1. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer

2. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12194-cancer

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Volume: 11 Issue: 08 | Aug 2024 www.irjet.net p-ISSN:2395-0072

3. https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/cancer/cancer/cancer-types.html

4. https://ncdirindia.org/display/wcd.aspx

5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36510887/

6. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/whats-driving- cancer-rate-inmalwa-the-cotton-belt-of-the-country/articleshow/108362171.cms

7. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/punjab-cancer-capital-of-india-40255

8. https://www.ijcrm.com/publish_article/edition_3/I0134145.pdf

9. https://www.hindustantimes.com/health-and-fitness/how-pesticides-use-have-led-to-high- cases-of-cancerin-punjab/story-Kkt6ocFttvZ5SlCzo260qL.html

10. https://www.businessinsider.in/the-shocking-tale-of-indias-cancer-train/articleshow/52690219.cms

11. Biographies:

Mihir Gupta

Being a 17-year-old entrepreneur. Iam driven bymy keen interest ineconomics and business. Iam excited topursue businessformyundergraduate studies.

My loveforthe environment inspires meto domy bitforsociety.

Founder-Amore LeBain

My firstventure which was ahobby converted into a homegrown business isa soapbrand calledAmoreLe BainbyM.Itisaplatformformetosellorganicsoapsandusethe money foragoodcause.

Iam anature enthusiast and foodie and I havedeveloped a website FoodThyMedicine.com.

I am also very fond of robotics and have won two records atthe India Book of Records in 2021and2024,I havealsowonmanyroboticscompetitionsworldwideandIhopeto continue allthese activitiesatuniversity.

Undertheguidanceof:

Dr. Mamta Jain

M.Sc(Mathematics)(Doublegoldmedalist)

M.Phil(Computer Applications)withhonorsFromUniversityofRoorkee (nowIITRoorkee)

PhD(Mathematics) -Various papers publishedininternational journals

FormerLeadAuditorISO9001,ISO -22000SchoolAccreditationExaminer byQCI

26yearsofteaching experience

VariousResearchPaperPublished

Er. RaunaqJain

B.EMechanicalEngineering FromThaparInstitute ofEngineering andTechnology

DistrictPhysics Topper

ContentWriterandgraphicdesigner

Mechanical Mentor fromsession2019-2020

Technical DataAnalystatDeloitte