World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008. 

On the eve of World Cancer Day, Ujjain city-based ear, nose, throat and oral cancer surgeon Dr Rajeev Gupta said that among all types of cancer, head and neck cancer has maximum burden which accounts for around 40percent of all cancers. Changes in lifestyle, bad habits behind rise in cancer, says Dr. Rajeev Gupta.  Dr. Gupta adds, Lifestyle changes and bad habits in daily life affects every organ of the body and converts into cancer.

Around 30percent are mouth cancers. In men mouth cancer is the second most common and is attributed to use of gutka, tobacco, bidi, cigarettes and alcohol. According to Dr Gupta, youths are using bidi and cigarettes from college times hence it is afflicting people in the age group of 35 to 40 years.

He said that there are some symptoms which indicate early signs of cancer which includes white and reddish dis-colouration of mouth, non-healing ulcers of mouth, changes in voice, difficulty in swallowing and any mass in neck. ?These signs are early predictors of latent cancers/disease so if anybody experience these types of early signs they must visit doctor,? he advised.

Dr Gupta further said that if a person experiences such types of lesions and diagnose at early stages then it is curable. Now it is cured with the help of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Central government and Madhya Pradesh government organise various camps to detect early stages of cancer. Various plans and such as Ayushman Yojana gives free treatment to the needy. If every person is aware about these signs then cancer can be cured easily. The government has issued various legal aspects such as not to advertise tobacco products and banned sale of loose cigarettes.

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