According to various cancer hospitals here, the percentage of head and neck cancers is 30% to 45% or even more if all types of cancer are taken together.
Health experts, however, claimed that the burden of head and neck cancer can be reduced to a great extent. “We can prevent 80% of head and neck cancers by simply throwing them out” tobacco use from our social system. Common cause of 80% of head and neck cancers Tobacco Consumed in the form of smoking or chewing,” said Dr Hemant Malhotra, Director of Cancer Center at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College.
In the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2) conducted by the Centre, approximately 22.2% of males, 3.7% of females and 13.2% of adults currently use tobacco. Whereas 22.0% of males, 5.8% of females and 14.1% of all adults currently use smokeless tobacco. In addition, 39.6% of males, 9.0% of females and 24.7% of adults either use tobacco and/or use smokeless tobacco.
“If we want to reduce the cancer cases in the state, we must take immediate steps to stop the youth from consuming tobacco. The sooner they start consuming it, the more likely they are to get head and neck cancer, which is more common in men than women. During covid“While people stayed at home, tobacco consumption increased,” said Dr Pawan Singhal, Professor ENT, Sawai Man Singh Hospital, who is undergoing cancer-related surgery.
Women in rural areas are also vulnerable to head and neck cancer as they consume more tobacco than their urban counterparts. “Cases of head and neck cancer are more common among rural women as compared to urban women due to smoking and tobacco habits. Earlier, patients of this cancer used to come after the age of 35, whereas in the last few years this cancer is being seen rapidly in the youth even at the age of 25. Mahaveer Cancer Hospital.
Since a large part of the population in the state consumes tobacco, the risk of oral cancer Quite high.
Nikhil Mehta, Consultant Surgical Oncology, Fortis Escorts Hospital Said, “The most common site of oral cancer is the alveolo buccal complex. Oral cancer is notorious for spreading to the cervical lymph nodes. Patients are generally reluctant to undergo surgery because of changes in facial appearance. In head and neck cancers With recent advances, it is possible to reconstruct the face, mouth, and tongue with free flap reconstruction. This can be in the form of free fibula flaps, anterolateral thigh flaps or radial flaps. With these advancements, patients can have normal speech and swallowing. can.”
Despite the availability of treatment, due to lack of awareness, many patients reach the hospital at an advanced stage. “The survival rate of cancer in the first stage is 85 to 90 percent. In the second phase, this rate comes down to 65-70 per cent. The third and fourth stages are called advanced stages. The patient survival rate in advanced stages is only 25 to 40 per cent,” said Dr Anil Gupta, Senior Onco Surgeon, Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital.
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