AHMEDABAD: Leading head and neck cancer surgeon Dr Kaustubh Patel said that annually two and half lakh cancer cases are detected in the state of which a staggering one lakh are oral cancers - mainly of the tongue, mouth and neck.
"Oral cancer is a big concern amongst health experts in Gujarat. In India, 80 per cent men and 40 percent women consume tobacco in one form or another.
In the country, over 5 million children are habituated to tobacco too.
This rate is increasing day by day which means that we are poised on the brink of an oral cancer epidemic among the productive age population of India in the coming years," said Dr Patel.
Dr Patel said that an alarming 22 per cent of the total global head and neck cancer cases and 29 per cent deaths related to this type of cancer in the world take place in India. "We need to be pro-active when it comes to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer at an early stage", said Dr Patel.
Dr Patel who is associated with HCG Medisurge Hospital said that an Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week 2011 was held from May 5-12. A number of awareness lectures and camps were held all over the state as part of this week's programme.
The expert said that there is some good news for patients suffering from oral cancer. "It has been found that chemotherapy before surgery or radiation has shown to improve life expectancy and quality of life. Patients live longer with the three-drug regimen," said Dr Patel.
"Chemotherapy has evolved as a key component for treating patients with advanced head and neck cancer leading to improved outcomes and survival of patients. With the aim of improving clinical outcomes and extending survival, addition of three-drug Docetaxel based chemotherapy regimen before surgery or radiation has changed the treatment paradigms for inoperable head and neck cancers," said Dr Patel.
"Oral cancer is a big concern amongst health experts in Gujarat. In India, 80 per cent men and 40 percent women consume tobacco in one form or another.
In the country, over 5 million children are habituated to tobacco too.
This rate is increasing day by day which means that we are poised on the brink of an oral cancer epidemic among the productive age population of India in the coming years," said Dr Patel.
Dr Patel said that an alarming 22 per cent of the total global head and neck cancer cases and 29 per cent deaths related to this type of cancer in the world take place in India. "We need to be pro-active when it comes to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer at an early stage", said Dr Patel.
Dr Patel who is associated with HCG Medisurge Hospital said that an Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week 2011 was held from May 5-12. A number of awareness lectures and camps were held all over the state as part of this week's programme.
The expert said that there is some good news for patients suffering from oral cancer. "It has been found that chemotherapy before surgery or radiation has shown to improve life expectancy and quality of life. Patients live longer with the three-drug regimen," said Dr Patel.
"Chemotherapy has evolved as a key component for treating patients with advanced head and neck cancer leading to improved outcomes and survival of patients. With the aim of improving clinical outcomes and extending survival, addition of three-drug Docetaxel based chemotherapy regimen before surgery or radiation has changed the treatment paradigms for inoperable head and neck cancers," said Dr Patel.
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