India leads global oral smokeless cancer

India Leads Global Oral Cancer Cases Linked to Smokeless Tobacco and Areca Nut: Lancet Study

A recent "Lancet study" has raised alarms over the growing health risks associated with smokeless tobacco and "areca nut" (also known as betel nut) consumption in South Asia, particularly India. Despite the areca nut industry enlisting Bollywood celebrities to market paan masala as a mouth freshener, the study has revealed that India leads the world in oral cancer cases tied to these substances.

 

In 2022, India accounted for "83,400 of the 120,200 global cases" of oral cancer caused by the use of smokeless tobacco and areca nut, as reported by the "International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)". The study highlighted the devastating health consequences of consuming areca nut and various forms of smokeless tobacco like gutka and khaini, which are widely accessible across the country.

According to the study, women in India primarily developed oral cancer due to "areca nut (30%)" and "betel quid with tobacco (28%)", followed by "gutka (21%)" and "khaini (21%)". Among men, "khaini (47%)" and "gutka (43%)" were the major contributors, alongside "betel quid with tobacco (33%)" and "areca nut (32%)". Dr. Harriet Rumgay, an IARC scientist, emphasized the severe health burden posed by these products, calling for effective prevention strategies to reduce consumption.

Oral cancer rates in South Asia, especially India, have been exacerbated by the easy availability and aggressive marketing of these harmful products. "Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi", a renowned Head and Neck Cancer surgeon from Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, and a co-author of the study, highlighted the pressing need for stricter enforcement of existing regulations. He warned that areca nuts, apart from causing "submucous fibrosis", lead to incurable oral cancers, affecting young individuals and causing devastating financial and emotional tolls on families.

While India has previously banned products like gutka, the enforcement of such measures has been weak, allowing the tobacco industry to continue its harmful practices. This study serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for better regulation, public awareness campaigns, and a collective effort to curb the rising oral cancer crisis in the region.