HYDERABAD: Tobacco-related cancers contribute highest to the cancer burden in India. Despite the Covid pandemic, there were 3.7 lakh new cases or 27.1 per cent.
This will further increase by 12 per cent by 2025 as the use of tobacco and tobacco-related products continues to be high. The impact on passive smokers and those working in the related industries, wholesale and retail sectors also get impacted due to constant exposure to tobacco.
With 268 million or 28.6 per cent of adults in India using tobacco, the incidence of tobacco-related diseases and cancers are high. Together they account for 12 lakh deaths every year.
Dr K Sreekanth, senior consultant surgical oncologist at Yashoda Hospitals says, “We see young cancer patients dying due to use of tobacco and its products. The risk of putting others at risk through passive smoking is also high and many of them are unaware. These cases often come late.”
The National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, released by…