Apollo Cancer Centres Introduces the Screening Program #OraLife

News Desk, News Nation 360 : Tobacco usage is no longer a personal habit; it is a national health emergency. India accounts for roughly one-third of global oral cancer cases, with 77,000 new diagnoses and 52,000 fatalities each year. The survival rate is just 50%, much lower than in developed countries (link). This disturbing trend is exacerbated by rising tobacco consumption in both urban and rural India, as reported by the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (2022-23) (Link), which also found higher spending on paan, tobacco, and other intoxicants. Dr. Shaikat Gupta – Director, Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centre, Kolkata, stated that tobacco users have a six to sevenfold higher risk of developing mouth cancer than nonusers. Oral cancer is one of the few malignancies that can be discovered early with a routine oral exam. Their goal with this tool is to find cases early, before it's too late. To observe World No Tobacco Day, Apollo Cancer Centres (ACC) has initiated #OraLife, an active campaign for the early detection of oral cancer which was attended by Dr Supratim Bhattacharyya, Consultant Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres, Kolkata, Dr Rita Akka - Isha Foundation, Dr Arpita Sutradhar- Onco histopathology Apollo Cancer Centres, Kolkata; Dr Surinder Singh Bhatia- Director Medical Services Apollo Cancer Centres, Kolkata; Dr Shaikat Gupta- Director Surgical Oncology Apollo Cancer Centres, Kolkata; Dr Tapas Kar, Consultant Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres, Kolkata; Dr Prosenjit Das, Consultant Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres, Kolkata; Dr Vikash Agarwal, Consultant Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres, Kolkata at the launch of Apollo Cancer Centres' #OraLife - screening programme for early detection of oral cancer. It focuses on public awareness, regular screening, and specific interventions among high-risk groups such as tobacco and alcohol abusers, HPV-16 infected, and individuals with existing oral lesions. ACC has also collaborated with the Isha Foundation to provide holistic tobacco cessation support, combining physical health interventions with mental and emotional well-being, such as a 7-minute guided meditation by Sadhguru. Oral cancer is the leading cancer in Indian men and is on the rise in women. West Bengal has the highest reported incidence, with shockingly high rates also found in Maharashtra, Ahmedabad Urban, and Meghalaya, largely due to tobacco consumption. Research in Chennai reports an increase in cancers of the tongue base and floor of the mouth, which are highly metastatic, whereas the buccal mucosa continues to be the most common site across the country. The increasing popularity of smokeless tobacco among women is also bridging the gender gap in rates of incidence. Risk factors, most notably the use of smokeless tobacco, betel quid, and alcohol concurrently, are common in underserved populations where preventive services are in short supply. The illness is targeting more and more people between 31–50 years of age, with poor diet heightening the risk. Dr. Tapas Kar, Consultant Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centre, Kolkata, stressed the importance of a culture of preventive healthcare, assuring that oral cancer can be treated very effectively if detected early and asking all above 30 years, particularly users of tobacco, to get screened. The #OraLife initiative is an all-inclusive visual and sensory oral inspection by experienced medical oncologists and head & neck surgeons to detect early warning signs, such as long-standing ulcers, red or white lesions, lumps, and non-healing sores that are usually neglected.

Pic - Courtesy