Page 49 - Essentia Vol 5 Issue 1

VOL V | ISSUE I | 5 AUGUST 2026 VOL V | ISSUE I | 5 AUGUST 2026
A BIANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF ASSAM CANCER CARE FOUNDATION A BIANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF ASSAM CANCER CARE FOUNDATION

through visual inspection, a simple, time-saving on tobacco-use patterns. The high prevalence of
and cost-effective method for detecting oral tobacco pouch keratosis may be linked to the habit
cancer at an early stage. of keeping chewable tobacco in the gingivo-buccal
Patients diagnosed in Stage I and Stage II have sulcus during long working hours.
a better five-year survival rate of up to 80%, Smokeless tobacco users have almost 26 times
compared with around 30% among patients higher risk of developing premalignant lesions.
diagnosed at an advanced stage. Available observations also indicate higher odds of
premalignant lesions among smokeless tobacco
Regional observations users compared with smokers.
In Assam, particularly among tea garden workers, At the primary level, dental surgeons can play a key
daily wage labourers, security guards and drivers, role by conducting risk assessments and oral visual
tobacco pouch keratosis is commonly seen, followed examinations, helping identify people at increased
by leukoplakia, OSMF and frictional keratosis. risk of oral cancer through early detection of
Findings may vary by zone and district depending premalignant lesions.

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