June 23, 2024: Health experts have raised alarms over the increased consumption of tobacco and related products, which are driving a surge in head and neck cancer cases in India.
Head and neck cancer encompasses cancers in the tongue, mouth, and other parts of the pharynx, including the oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, salivary glands, nasal cavity, and larynx (voice box).
“The prominent cause of oral cavity cancers is the use of tobacco and tobacco-related products, betel nuts, smoking, and alcohol. Sometimes HPV infections also contribute to it,” said Pritam Kataria, Consultant in Medical Oncology at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, speaking to IANS.
To reduce the incidence of head and neck cancers, Kataria emphasized the need for “strict regulations regarding tobacco and related products and on the intake of alcohol.”
“If tobacco and related products are removed from the market, the majority of head and neck cancer incidents will decrease. However, this is a significant challenge due to the lack of awareness among the masses and the difficulty in changing behavior, which are critical aspects of cancer prevention,” Kataria explained.
Accounting for 30 percent of all cancer cases, head and neck cancer is the most common type of cancer in India, with a higher burden than in countries like the US, UK, Australia, Africa, and Brazil.
According to GLOBOCAN 2020, the number of cancer cases in India is rising, with an estimated 2.1 million new cases by 2040, marking a 57.5 percent increase from 2020.
Prathmesh Pai, Director and Surgeon at the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Head and Neck Cancer Institute of India, highlighted the urgent need to raise public awareness about the dangers of tobacco, betel nut, and alcohol.
“Engage parents and schools to prevent the youth from adopting these habits, and launch public campaigns to ban the sale of tobacco, betel nut, and alcohol to the youth. We should also push for a ban on the production and sale of these harmful substances,” Pai told IANS.
