Not just smoking or alcohol, these reasons are also increasing the cases of Head and Neck Cancer among the youth

News Topical, Digital Desk : Cancer is a serious disease, which has become a matter of concern all over the world. It is a disease that attacks different parts of the body. Often this disease proves fatal due to late detection. Head and neck cancer is one of these, to make people aware about which Head and Neck Cancer Day is celebrated every year on 27th July.

This type of cancer is especially affecting the youth these days. In order to know the reasons behind its increasing incidence among the youth, we spoke to Dr. Sumant Bollu, Consultant Head and Neck Surgical Oncology at Yashoda Medicity. Let's know what the doctor said.

Head and neck cancer on the rise among young people

The doctor said head and neck cancer accounts for about 5% of all new cancer cases worldwide   . GLOBOCAN estimates that annual new cases in India will increase from 1.3 million in 2020 to 2.1 million by 2040. The average age of diagnosis is usually 64 years, but an alarming increase in the prevalence among younger people has been observed over the past decades.

Over the past two decades, oral and oropharyngeal cancer cases have increased by 1-4% in young people, mainly due to tumors of the tongue and tonsils. A hospital-based study conducted in 2015 in Northeast India found that nearly half of the head and  neck cancer  patients were under 39 years of age.

Why are young people falling prey to this cancer?

According to the doctor, the risk factors fuelling this epidemic in the young population are tobacco (smoking or chewing) and alcohol. Smoking and alcohol together increase the risk of head and neck cancer three times. Human papillomavirus (HPV), poor oral hygiene, gastroesophageal reflux and dietary deficiencies are some of the reasons that make even non-smoking youth a victim of this disease.

What are their symptoms?

Common symptoms include persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing, change in voice, weight loss without any reason, lumps in the neck, ear pain, and loss of hearing ability.

Treatment Methods

Surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted agents play a major role in the management of head and neck cancer, which is tailored to the tumor location, stage and patient factors. Early diagnosis is essential for better treatment outcomes.

Read More: Not just smoking or alcohol, these reasons are also increasing the cases of Head and Neck Cancer among the youth