Oral Cancer
India has one of the highest incidence of Oral cancer in
the world(Ref.1). The high incidence of oral cancer and oral pre-cancerous lesions in
India has long been linked with the habit of betel quid chewing incorporating tobacco.
Oral cancer ranks number one among men and number three
among women in India. Oral cancer constitutes 12% of all cancers in men and 8% of all
cancers among women. (Ref.2).
Oral cancer is a major health problem in India. In India
it is estimated that among the 400 million individuals aged 15 years and over 47% use
tobacco in one form or the other(ref.3) there are many interesting forms of tobacco use in
India eg. Reverse smoking. Annual incidence rate is estimated to be 64,460. However total
number of cases at any given will be 2.5 to 3 times higher than this number (Ref.3)
It is unfortunate that so far no proper epidemiological
data on this disease is available in India. Information currently available is mostly on
the basis of crude incidence rate available from three metropolitan cities covered under
National cancer registry project.
References
Hamada G.S.et al: Comparative epiemiology
of oral cancer in Brazil & India.Tokai J Exp. Clin. Med. 1991 Mar. 16(1)63-72
2. Sankaranarayanan R.:Oral caner in
India: An epidemiologic and clinical review. Oral Sirg. Oral Med. Oral
Path.69:325-330,1990.
Mehta F.S.; Hamner J.E.:Tobacco related
oral mucosal lesions and conditions in India.Tata Inst. of Fundamental Research.1993.
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