Perils of Oral Cancer in India

The risk of oral cancer in India and more generally in South Asia is high and increasing. Oral cancer has emerged as the leading cause of cancer among men in India. Oral cancer (all mouth cancers, including those affecting the lips) accounts for 11% all cancers among men and over 4% of cancers among women in India. According to GLOBOCAN data, oral cancer cases in India increased by about 114% in just six years (2012–18). The incidence of oral cancer is higher among the relatively weaker sections of society.

India is known for the prevalence of oral cancer in the world, and as a result, some researchers call it the oral cancer capital of the world. Oral cancer leads to very painful and distressing conditions. Chances of cure at late-stage detection are very less but most diagnosis and treatment in India is at the late stage. Not only India but some neighbouring countries are also vulnerable to oral cancer. One study indicates that out of the nearly 2,00,000 cancer cases reported in Bangladesh in a year, 20% concern oral cancer. In Pakistan, too, oral cancer is becoming the most commonly reported cancer.