Gujarat, India have high rates of head and neck cancer

World No Tobacco Day, which will be celebrated on May 31, has enormous significance in our part of the world. Every year about 16% of all cancer deaths in India are due to head and neck cancer which are primarily caused by consumption of tobacco in its myriad forms.

Despite government efforts, tobacco continues to haunt doctors who want a complete ban on the consumption of the killer leaf.

In Gujarat, tobacco-related cancer is prevalent in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara and Surat. According to Dr Apurva Sheth, oncologist at Vedanta Hospital, tobacco chewing is high in India and Gujarat which results in large number patients suffering from head and neck cancer.

Sheth added, "Ten years ago we were dealing with around five cancer cases out of 100, but now it has risen to around 40-50 cases. On an average, 10-15 cancer patients visit me daily which include follow-up patients."  

Around 85% of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. While only 2% of all cancer deaths in US are due to head and neck cancer, the number is as high as 16% in India.

"Despite improvements in diagnosis and local management long-term survival rates have not increased significantly over past many years. Surgical intervention is possible in first and second stage cancer patients, but an advanced stage patient has to go through chemotherapy only," Sheth said.

The Indian government has been making legislation stricter for the tobacco industry. While it has banned smoking in public places previously, it slapped a higher levy on cigarettes in this year's budget.