Oral Cancer

There is enough scientific evidence accumulated over several years that consumption of tobacco (including betel leaves laced with lime and catechu or premixed tobacco formulations) can lead to pre-cancerous lesions and subsequently oral cancer. Consumption of alcohol, poor dietary intake and poor oral hygiene are major contributory factors.

Furthermore it has been shown that 70% of oral cancers would not have occurred in absence of tobacco consumption.
A clear correlation - as in case of smoking and lung cancer - is well established between consuming tobacco and oral cancer and hence 70% of oral cancers are avoidable cancers.

In India, where occurrence of oral cancer is well documented, almost 56,000 new cases of oral cancer have been estimated to occur every year, which would lead to more than 100,000 individuals suffering from the disease in the population in any given year.

Oral Cancer patient after  removal of mandible
 and reconstruction  of the resected area

The suffering and disfigurement due to this disease are easily avoidable since the causes associated with the disease have long been identified. Furthermore, an important aspect of oral cancer is its easy accessibility for detection. This feature coupled with the finding that precancerous lesions usually precede oral cancer, provides an excellent opportunity for early detection and control.

Precancerous lesions in the mouth: Certain type of white patches (leukoplakia) in the mouth and a condition leading to progressive inability in opening mouth and/or intolerance to spicy food called Sub-Mucous Fibrosis (S.M.F.) have been seen repeatedly in association with frank oral cancer.

Seven signs and symptoms to be on the lookout for are:

1. Any white\red patch of more then 15 days duration

2. Repeated ulcerations in the mouth.

3. Intolerance to spicy food.

4. Burning sensation in the mouth.

5. Ulcers of long duration because of sharp edges of worn out or broken tooth\teeth or old ill-fitting dentures.

6. Difficulty in gargling water or protruding the tongue.

7. Any change in old benign (harmless) growths of the mouth.