The Killer No 4 in cancer top 10

Lung cancer, the Big Killer, tops the list of 10 causes of cancer in the country. But oral cancer, which can be directly blamed on the tobac...

Lung cancer, the Big Killer, tops the list of 10 causes of cancer in the country. But oral cancer, which can be directly blamed on the tobacco and pan masala habit, is only three notches down.

Data available at the six cancer registries in the country, compiled by the National Cancer Registry Programme of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), ranks oral cancer as fourth among the ten leading types of cancer. Between 15 and 20 per cent of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx in males is caused by chewing tobacco. Lung cancer, caused by cigarette smoke, remains the villain, causing more than 50 per cent deaths among males.

A senior researcher at the ICMR, Dr Kishore Chaudhry conducted a chemical analysis study in 1999 on pan masala and pan masala containing tobacco. The study says chemical analysis of five popular brands of pan masala shows they contain polyaromatic hydrocarbons, nitrosamines and toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and nickel. Another analysis of four brands showed the presence of residual pesticides.

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‘‘Pan masala has a known carcinogen — tobacco. Areca nut, a key ingredient in pan masala, is suspected to be associated with oral cancer and sub-mucous fibrosis,’’ says Dr Chaudhary’s study, first published in an ICMR bulletin.

Senior Research Scientist in the Epidemology Research Unit of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, Dr S.P. Gupta says, ‘‘The incidence of oral cancer is rising among the youth. An increasing prevalence of oral sub-mucous fibrosis has been observed among younger patients.’’ Against one case of oral sub-mucous fibrosis in the age group of 15-34 recorded in Ahmedabad in 1980, there were 138 cases in the same age group in 1998.

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