Motivation to quit tobacco products and early diagnosis are the road ahead to controlling Head and Neck Cancer cases in India.
The numbers presented by the national cancer registry based on the ICMR study in the Indian parliament in January this year projected a bleak picture of the country’s contribution to cancer cases, which is expected to add 15.69 lakh new cancer patients by 2025. Among some of the most common cancers in the Indian population, besides lung, prostate, stomach, breast, and cervical cancer, head and neck cancer numbers are often undermined. Dr Vineet Kaul, Associate Consultant, The Oncology Centre, CK Birla Hospital Gurugram, goes by the multiple studies conducted by some of India’s most prestigious research institutes. The country roughly adds 1,40,000 new head and neck cancer patients yearly.
World Head and Neck Cancer Day
It is observed on July 27 every year. It’s an opportunity to assess and improve the collective efforts made by the medical fraternity, policymakers, public health experts and other stakeholders.
- As per the data of the national infectious disease monitoring survey report 2017-18. India has 32.8% of the population of regular tobacco smoke/smokeless users, and the trend is increasing. As a result, India’s global contribution of Head and Neck Cancer patients is around 57 %.
- The reports suggest that the number is expected to double by 2030. The use of alcohol and tobacco in any form is the most prominent oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx.
- The studies and the years of diagnosis have proven that at least 75% of head and neck cancers have tobacco as the root cause. The general trend has shown that most cancer cases reach us in the advanced stages. While it is essential for the government to curb the sale of tobacco, the users also share the responsibility of trying to quit the habit and examine themselves regularly.
Early Diagnosis
We always recommend that tobacco users to self-examine their oral cavity regularly in the mirror as it could help in the early diagnosis or prevention of these cancers. Some of the most alarming signs a tobacco user must never overlook are non-healing ulcers in the mouth, sore throat, persistent pain, difficulty swallowing, and a change in voice.
Non-Cancerous Conditions
However, in some conditions, the symptoms could also be caused by other non-cancerous conditions; hence, getting them checked with the doctors is essential. Other than self-examination and early diagnosis, the course of treatment is determined by various factors, including the specific location of the tumour, the stage of the cancer, the patient’s age, and other risk factors.
Treatment Options
Among the treatment options for head and neck cancer, depending on the patient’s condition, there are options like surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of treatments. Surgery has remained the mainstay treatment option for most head and neck cancers, followed by other treatment methods.
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Regular Follow-Up
It is essential after cancer treatment to ensure that the cancer has not relapsed or that a second primary cancer has not developed. Apart from the doctors, support from the family expedites the recovery journey. The patients who come to us in the initial stage have a survival rate of 90 100%, but in advanced settings, the survival rate is reduced to half.
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