Stopping the consumption of tobacco dramatically reduces the risk of oral cavity cancer by more than 60 per cent, a study conducted by a Mumbai-based organisation has found.
The study, conducted by the Centre for Cancer Epidemiology of the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), demonstrated that quitting smoking and chewing habits reduces the risk of oral cancer or buccal mucosa cancer compared with continuous consumption.
For this hospital-based case control study, enrolment was carried out in five TMC cancer centres located in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Barshi, Varanasi and Guwahati in India, during 2010-2022. The research was conducted on both men and women, aged 19-75 years.
For the first time, the study shows a 61 per cent reduction in the risk of oral cavity cancer for smokers and a 42 per cent reduction for tobacco chewers compared to current users after quitting the habit for 10 years.
However, this risk reduction never approaches that of people who have never consumed tobacco.
This indicates that current tobacco users benefit from quitting, as the risk is reduced by almost 50 per cent, although their risk remains higher than that of never users.
This suggests that tobacco quitting works, but not starting tobacco habits is more important.
“About 20-25 per cent of our cancers are oral cancer, which is related to tobacco. Around 40 per cent of cancers, including bladder, kidney, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer, are also connected with tobacco. Therefore, quitting tobacco will reduce cancer in our country,” the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), research wing of TMC, director Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi told reporters.
He said chewing tobacco with areca nut almost doubles the cancer risk, but it was similarly reduced by quitting.
“This is the first evidence demonstrating usefulness of tobacco cessation. Tobacco cessation reduces oral cancer risk by 60 per cent after 10 years of quitting, but the risk never approached even closer to never users. Therefore, it is always better not to start tobacco consumption,” Centre for Cancer Epidemiology Director and author of the study Dr Rajesh Dixit said.
He further said that the genetic susceptibility for oral cancer also increases, especially when combined with lifestyle factors, such as tobacco use.
Tobacco cessation means stopping the use of tobacco in any form, such as cigarettes, bidis, gutkha, khaini, or chewing tobacco, he added.
More than 30 per cent of India`s population consumes tobacco in one form or other.
Dr Sharayu Mhatre, Scientific Officer and lead author of the study, pointed out that these findings can be used for motivational counselling efforts, and provide evidence that all forms of tobacco are harmful but quitting can lead to risk reversal.
“These results can support the development of future government guidelines and intervention policies, encouraging them to place greater emphasis on tobacco cessation,” she added.
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