Greatest risk associated with frequent consumption of locally brewed alcohol
Additive effect of chewing tobacco likely accounts for 60%+ of cases nationwide
Even a low daily intake of alcohol--just 9 g or around one standard drink-is linked to a 50% heightened risk of mouth (buccal mucosa) cancer in India, with the greatest risk associated with locally brewed alcohol, finds a large comparative study, published online in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.
And when combined with chewing tobacco, it likely accounts for 62% of all such cases in India, the findings suggest.
Mouth cancer is the second most common malignancy in India, with an estimated 143,759 new cases and 79,979 deaths every year. Rates of the disease have risen steadily, and now stand at just under 15 for every 100,000 Indian men, note the researchers.
The primary form of mouth cancer in India is that of the soft pink lining of the cheeks and lips (buccal mucosa). Less than half (43%) of those affected survive 5 or more years, they point out.
As alcohol consumption and tobacco use often go hand in hand, it's not clear how much each factor individually contributes to mouth cancer risk, especially in India, where the prevalence of smokeless tobacco use is high, point out the researchers. Nor have the potential effects of locally brewed alcohol, which is particularly popular in rural communities, been assessed, they add.
