TOBACCO MAJOR CAUSE OF 11 LAKHS ANNUAL DEATHS

TOBACCO MAJOR CAUSE OF 11 LAKHS ANNUAL DEATHS

Annually around 70 Lakhs people die globally because of tobacco related cancers & India itself contributes 16% of these deaths.

In a Press Conference organized at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital, Jaipur, Dr Nidhi Patni, HOD-Radiation Oncology shared that on an average 2500 people in India are losing their battle against cancer daily & out of the total cancer patients in India around 45% Males & 17% Females suffer from Tobacco originated Cancers.

Medical Oncologist Dr Lalit Mohan Sharma shared that Tobacco in any form, contains various harmful chemicals which affects Human DNA & leads to various Cancers like- Lung Cancer, Head & Neck Cancer, Stomach and Food Pipe Cancer & Uterus Cancer. People who consume “Gutkha/Chewable Tobacco & even Smoke” are more prone to Mouth Cancer & have symptoms like- Less Mouth opening, change in voice, regular cough & excessive weight reduction.

Dr Sharma shared that “Most of the people start consuming Tobacco at the early age of 11-16 years” hence it become important to make our society more & more aware about its ill effects.

Dr Naresh Ledwani, (Senior Consultant-Surgical Oncology) shared that most of the cases are reported at the last stage which leads to expensive treatment with minimum effect. In such cases nothing much can be done & patient suffers from acute pain.

Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital has collected statistics as per ICD-10 & has analyzed that in last 5 years in total 46,904 has been treated & on an average 9,380 new patients are being treated annually. Most common cancer in these patients was “Head & Neck” & Tobacco was the main reason behind it.

Tobacco- Sole reason for Pain & Agony

Mr. Babu Lal Saini, a 54 years, Mansarover resident, shared his real life experience in Press Conference.  Mr. Babu Lal started smoking in his teen age & after smoking for 20 long years got detected with Throat Cancer in 2005. He underwent Surgery, Chemotherapy & radiation for 1 year in Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital & found that it’s not only patient who bears the pain but its’ also his entire family which suffers the most.

Due to Cancer, Mr. Babu Lal had to quit his job & his children had to take-up mean jobs to support the family. He appealed to people that “One should keep himself away from all sort of Tobacco” to lead a Healthy Life as Tobacco leads to not only Cancer but it also leaves behind a long tail of Pain & Agony.