STRIKE 'EM YOUNG

ONCE DIAGNOSED AMONG PEOPLE ABOVE 60 YEARS, MOUTH AND THROAT CANCERS NOW....

Over the past five years, number of adolescents and people under 40 years of age who have been detected with oral cancer has surged by 106 per cent, say city oncologists

Once considered an old man's disease, oral cancer is on the rise in young adults. Till 2010, people above 60 years were susceptible to oral cancer. However, figures of past five years from city cancer hospitals reveal that more and more youths are being detected with this deadly dis ease. Drinking smoking, unhealthy diet, chronic traum and bad oral hygiene has led to increase in oral cancer in young people, warn experts. According to a recent World Health Organisation report on oral cancer in Ahmedabad, the age of patients shifted from 70-74 years or above in 1985 to 55-59 years in 2010. By 2014, it dropped to those aged 40 years or less.

Data by Gujarat Cancer Research Institute shows that Ahmedabad has highest number of people succumbing to oral cancer. As per the data, most of the oral cancer patients are aged between 20 and 35 years.

Oral cancer surgeon Kaustubh Patel, who works at HCG hospital, says, “In the past five years, oral cancer due to tobacco consumption has increased by 53 pc. Sadly, number of patients below 40 years has also surged by 106 pc between 2012 and 2014.“

Last year alone, the hospital received 1,320 cancer patients. “In 2005, only 14 pc of oral cancer patients were below 40 years of age. This rose to 32 pc in 2014 and continues to rise,“ Dr Patel added.

SIXTH MOST COMMON CANCER

Oral cancer, which is considered to be world's sixth most common cancer, affects lip, tongue, gums, mouth and cheeks. Cancer associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) is mostly found on the tonsils and pharynx. Anyone who develops mouth ulcers or suspicious lesionslumps or sees redwhite patches in their mouth or tongue which do not heal within two weeks, should make an immediate appointment with a doctor.

Interestingly, while awareness has led to decrease in smoking, thereby reducing cases of lung cancer over the past decade, cases of oral cancer are on the rise. Experts believe it is because tobacco is sold in different forms like gutkha, and mawa. In addition, rural dwellers face practical hurdles to diagnosis and treatment, with cancer centres located primarily in city centres, making access to services more difficult.

“Eighty per cent of oral cancer cases is caused by gutkha consumption. Most users are way below 40 years of age. Youngsters do not have money to buy cigarettes so they make do with other forms of tobacco,“ says Dr Vishal Choksi, head and neck cancer surgeon of Apollo Hospital in Gandhinagar.“What is the point of banning gutkha when its substitutes are easily available?“ he asked.

GCRI data supports this. “Areca nuts have alkaloid content which when mixed with mawa and gutkha becomes dangerous. Not just men, even women below 40 years of age are developing oral cancer caused by chewing tobacco,“ says Geeta Joshi, deputy director at GCRI.

CHRONIC TRAUMA, HPV ARE OTHER CAUSES

Dr Patel says, “Chronic trauma can also cause cancer. Sometimes, we constantly bite the inside of our cheek or tongue. Such repeated trauma can lead to lesions which develop into cancer. Cancer can also be caused by the sexually transmitted disease HPV.This can be transmitted through kissing and oral sex. It is important to maintain good oral hygiene as lesions, canker sores or bleeding gums provides entry point for the virus to enter the body.“

If care is not taken, oral cancer will soon spread among adolescents, say experts. Dr Nirav Trivedi of Narayana Multispecialty Hospitals says, “In our hospital, every fourth patient is below the age of 40.We are getting more and more teenagers who get oral cancer after consuming tobacco.“ Awareness, preventive tests and early detection can save lives of many, advise experts.

LOOK OUT

Symptoms of oral cancer includes:

» Loose teeth

» Unresolved sore in the mouth that continues to bleed

» Spot of tissue in the mouth that is white or red in color

» Difficulty swallowing or chewing

» A lump found in the cheek, mouth, or neck

» Persistent earache

» Numbness in the mouth, neck, or face

» Users with less than 5 yrs of tobacco addiction should go for yearly checkups

» Users with more than 5 years of addiction should go for six-monthly checkups