KOCHI: It’s not just smokers or regular tobacco users that are susceptible to oral cancer. A recent study by the head and neck department of Kochi-based VPS Lakeshore Hospital found a significant rise in oral cancer even among non-tobacco users.
As per the research, 57% of oral cancer cases in recent years were in individuals with no history of tobacco or alcohol use. The study was conducted among 515 patients who came to the hospital in the last 10 years. The study showed that 61% of cases were linked to tongue cancer, while 19% were found in the buccal mucosa, the lining of the cheeks and the back of the lips, inside the mouth where they touch the teeth.
Dr Shawn T Joseph, a head and neck surgical oncologist at Lakeshore who headed the research, termed it an alarming trend. “Earlier, almost every oral cancer case could be traced back to tobacco use. Now, the situation is drastically changing. It’s shocking to note that one in two oral cancer patients is a non-tobacco user,” he said.
Among oral cancer patients with addictions, 64.03% had a history of tobacco use, specifically chewing it. Additionally, 51.2% reported smoking tobacco, while 42.3% had a history of alcohol consumption. Notably, 45.3% of these patients had multiple addictive habits. The study also revealed that 75.5% of the affected individuals were men and 24.5% were women.