panaji while there has been an overall increase in gastrointestinal diseases in goa the state has also registered highest number of colorectal cancer commonly known as colon or bowel cancer cases in the country about 80100 cases of colorectal cancer cases are reported in the state every year a trend which gastroenterology experts attribute to eating habits a la western countries where incidences of colorectal cancer are high shekar salkar vicechairman of cancer registry in goa says goa tops the list in the country in colorectal cases primarily because of the dietary habits which he claims is similar to the western dietary habits a large part of goas population eats red meat which is a contributory factor for high cases of colorectal cancer says salkar he further adds that the cancer registry is in the process of gathering data about different kinds of cancer cases reported in the state the cancer registry will submit its report along with added recommendations to the state government in the next six months other major contributing factors to colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal gi diseases are consumption of tobacco products and high level of alcohol diseases of colon rectum and stomach have increased by 25 in the last two years while breast cancer surgeries in the state have gone up by 30 surgery for cancer of stomach and colorectal increased by 20 and of cancer of liver and pancreas went up by 15 during the same period dr vinayak deshpande a porvorimbased gi specialist says that with change in our lifestyle such as eating fatty and spicy food including red meat smoking and drinking more cases of young people suffering from colorectal cancer are now coming to the fore the increase in reported cases of gi malignance can also be attributed to availability of better detection facilities in the hospitals today almost all hospitals today perform laparoscopy and endoscopy which was not the case of some years ago says deshpande in the past dr deshpande said patients either came for treatment at a terminal stage or died even before they could be diagnosed awareness has to be created among general public about healthy lifestyle and right eating habits dr salkar said they would give their suggestions as to what could be done to bring about lifestyle change as cases of breast cancer in the state have also increased