In the landscape of India's health challenges, head and neck cancer looms large. As the nation's second most common cancer after breast cancer, it casts a wide net, affecting both rural and urban communities with equal force. Each year, over 2,00,000 new cases are recorded across the country, with a city like Kolkata alone diagnosing nearly 1,000 of those cases annually. This devastating disease targets the regions governing our ability to speak, eat, and breathe that includes mouth, throat, neck, nose, thyroid, salivary glands and lastly, the key aspect of human identity, our face!
“Treating these cancers is a monumental task. The complex anatomy of the head and neck region means that surgery is not just about removing a tumour, but about meticulously reconstructing a person's appearance and painstakingly rehabilitating their most basic functions. It's a battle for both life and quality of life,” shares Dr Kinjal Shankar Majumdar, Consultant, Head & Neck Onco Surgery at Narayana RN Tagore Hospital, Mukundapur, Kolkata.
Risk Factors for Head and Neck Cancer
The primary risk factor for head and neck cancer is tobacco. Whether smoked or chewed in forms like gutkha and khaini, its use is rampant. While chewing tobacco is more common in lower-income groups, smoking spares no economic class.
As per Dr Majumdar, “Tobacco consumption has led to oral cancer health crisis in northern and eastern India. Leading cancer insititutes in Kolkata have analysed that 45% of the head and neck malignancies are caused due to tobacco.”
Also Read: Don't Wait Until It's Too Late: Know The Early Signs Of Head And Neck Cancer
Understand From Kolkata’s Case Study
Focusing particularly on Kolkata, a staggering 60-70% of patients in the city are diagnosed at an advanced stage, a grim reflection of the national reality.
- A combination of low awareness, social stigma, and logistical hurdles often delays diagnosis until the cancer is far less treatable. Yet, amidst this challenge, Kolkata stands as a beacon of hope, housing some of the country's most advanced cancer treatment centres.
- Here, specialised head and neck surgeons lead multidisciplinary teams with a dual mission to ensure survival and to preserve the functions that make us who we are.
- Cutting-edge, minimally invasive techniques like robotic and laser surgery are becoming powerful new weapons in this fight.
Also Read: Top 5 Most Common Cancers Among Indian Men
“However, the most powerful tool against this disease lies not in the operating room, but in our daily choices. The path to prevention of head and neck cancer is clear: prioritizing a healthy lifestyle, eliminating tobacco, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining oral hygiene, and protecting ourselves from the sun,” adds Dr Majumdar.
Final Word
While modern medical science continues to innovate and evolve with each passing day, the core message remains unchanged: early detection. Our collective goal must be to transform the narrative from one of late-stage crises to one of proactive screening and early intervention. As the World Health Organization has predicted a steep rise in cancer cases in the next 20 years in developing nations, we need to come together and make efforts to avert the risk.