Why are cases of oral cancer rising in India?

India bears a significant burden of oral cancers and the country contributes to about 30 per cent of all global cases said doctors on TuesdayApril is Oral Cancer Awareness Month Also known as mouth cancer the disease is the most common form of head and neck cancer and includes cancers of the mouth and the back of the throatTraditionally known to affect older adults the disease is seeing an early onset Dr Sowrabh Arora Senior Director Surgical Oncology Head amp Neck Max Hospital Vaishali told IANSldquoOral cancer is a significant health concern in India ranking as the second most common cancer overall and the most common among malesAnnually there are over 100000 new cases diagnosed One emerging trend is the increasing incidence of oral cancer among young adultsrdquo he saidldquoAlarmingly the incidence of oral cancer is on the rise with approximately 70 per cent of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage complicating treatment effortsrdquo added Dr Mohit Saxena Senior Consultant Medical Oncology Marengo Asia Hospital GurugramThe doctors attributed the rise to the use of tobacco chewing betel nuts or smoke accounting for 8090 per cent of casesOther contributing factors include excessive alcohol consumption human papillomavirus HPV infection weakened immune system poor nutrition excess body weight and excessive sun exposureldquoThis highlights the pressing need for awareness campaigns and preventive measures to curb the rising prevalence of oral cancer particularly among the younger population and to address the root causesrdquo Dr Sowrabh saidThe doctors also advised to be vigilant of symptoms to help in crucial early detection and better outcomesldquoRecognising the symptoms of oral cancer is crucial for early detection and intervention These include persistent mouth ulcers red or white patches intraoral swelling or lumps difficulty in swallowing hoarseness of voice neck or throat swelling and unexplained weight lossrdquo Dr Mohit told IANSHe also called for prevention strategies such as abstaining from tobacco and alcohol practising safe sex to minimise HPV exposure using sunscreen to protect against sun damage and undergoing regular oral screenings for early detectionThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever