New Delhi, Oct 9: A recent study has identified India as the country with the highest number of oral cancer cases in South Asia, primarily due to the rising use of smokeless tobacco products like betel quid with tobacco, gutka, khaini, and areca nut. This finding was reported on Wednesday by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in The Lancet Oncology journal.

According to the study, India accounted for 83,400 of the 120,200 global oral cancer cases caused by smokeless tobacco and areca nut in 2022.

Among women, the leading causes of oral cancer were found to be the consumption of areca nut (30%) and betel quid with tobacco (28%), with gutka and khaini each responsible for 21% of cases. For men, khaini accounted for 47%, gutka for 43%, betel quid with tobacco for 33%, and areca nut for 32%.

Dr. Harriet Rumgay, a scientist in the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC, highlighted the health hazards linked to smokeless tobacco and areca nut products, stating, “These substances are associated with various diseases, including oral cancer.” He further indicated that over 120,000 oral cancer cases globally could be linked to smokeless tobacco and areca nut usage, emphasizing the urgent need for effective prevention measures.

The IARC study revealed that 120,200 out of the 389,800 oral cancer cases in 2022 were associated with the use of smokeless tobacco and areca nut, suggesting that nearly one-third (31%) of all oral cancer cases could be avoided by preventing the use of these products.

The majority of these cases occurred in low- and middle-income countries, accounting for over 95% of the total, or 115,900 cases. Following India, Bangladesh had 9,700 cases, Pakistan 8,900, China 3,200, Myanmar 1,600, Sri Lanka 1,300, Indonesia 990, and Thailand 785.

While progress has been made in controlling tobacco smoking, efforts to prevent smokeless tobacco use have stalled, and areca nut remains largely unregulated, according to Dr. Isabelle Soerjomataram, Deputy Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC. The study calls for an increased focus on smokeless tobacco control and the development of regulations for areca nut, which should be incorporated into broader cancer prevention strategies.