Nearly half of patients with cancer of the head and neck die in the year following diagnosis: doc



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Cancers of the head and neck (mouth, larynx, throat or nose) account for a large part of the total number of reported cases of cancer in India, and nearly half of all cancer patients die in this disease. Year after diagnosis. India reports 1.75 million new cases of head and neck cancers each year – 76% of cases are reported in men and 24% in women

Nearly 70% of cancers in the Head and neck are tied to tobacco, areca nuts and alcohol, said Harit Chaturvedi, cancer surgeon and chairman of Max Oncology. "Unfortunately, these causative agents are available either because of the weakness of the policy or implementation, or its lack," said Dr. Chaturvedi on the occasion of World Neck Cancer Day and of the head on July 27, 1965

urged people to stay away from tobacco as it is a major cause of head and neck cancers. In India, the consumption of chewing tobacco is more widespread than the consumption of cigarettes or bidi. The doctors said that nearly 90% of cancers of the mouth and throat are due to tobacco use.

India has the dubious distinction of having the largest number of people consuming chewing tobacco in the world. It's a cheap and readily available addiction and its increasing consumption over the last two decades has contributed to an alarming increase in oral cancer, doctors said.

Pankaj Chaturvedi, professor of surgical oncology at Tata Memorial Hospital, said: and that a precautionary approach is needed to tackle the problem. "Pledge for Life" is a campaign that aims to make all educational institutions smoke-free so that children do not use tobacco, he said.

Dr. Chaturvedi added that all preventive measures should be focused on young people "in order to have a healthy society". "More than 13 million people die each year in India because of smoking, which is a major cause of cancer," he said.

Saurabh Gupta, consultant (surgical oncology) at Shalimar Bagh's Max Super Specialty Hospital, said smoking is the biggest risk factor for head and neck cancer

"Increased The consumption of chewing tobacco, gutka and betel nuts has led to an increase in cases of oral cancer.The frequent consumption of alcohol has also increased the risk of developing oral cancer.A combination of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can worsen the risk, "said Dr. Gupta.

According to doctors, nearly 70% of oral cancers are located in the" buccogingival sulcus "area where betel quid / tobacco to chewing is preserved for long periods in the oral cavity, which leads to cancer of the gums and cheeks, said the doctors.

"In most cases, the delay in seeking medical advice reduces considerably the success rate of the treatment. Many patients come only for advanced treatment. The most effective treatment for head and neck cancers is surgery, with or without radiotherapy, "said Dr. Gupta

. He added that chemotherapy is used only in advanced or extended diseases for symptomatic improvement. Cancers of the head and neck usually do not spread very early to other parts of the body and surgery is possible in most cases. Healing rates range from 85% to 90% in early stages, but fall to 30% -40% in advanced cases

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