1 in 2 men, 1 in 10 women in state smoke, finds study; docs flag lung cancer risk

Time of India

5 days ago

1
2
3
Kolkata: Nearly one in two men and about one in 10 women in Bengal are smokers, one of the highest proportions in the country, making the state's population vulnerable to lung cancer, says the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report.
The figures are scarier for Kolkata. Here, more than one in two (56.6%) residents are smokers, the survey claims, adding that 82% men and 23.5% women indulge in the habit, the highest among all metros in the country. Overall, tobacco use — not just in smokable form, but in other forms as well — had increased over the last decade in Bengal and Kolkata, the report states.
Experts say the findings should serve as a grim reminder that concerted anti-tobacco awareness drives should start targeting the right age-groups, specifically those between 14 and 18, which is the age at which most pick up the habit.
So far, awareness initiatives have been largely ineffective, say experts.
"Rather than adults, the focus of the initiative should be adolescents or school and college students," said Subir Ganguly, an oncologist with Medica Cancer Centre. "It is between 14 and 18 years that most start smoking, and this is when they should be dissuaded by stressing on the disastrous consequences of tobacco use. It is also necessary to prevent access to tobacco for minors," he added.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
São Mateus Do Sul: Quanto vale a sua casa? Descubra agora!
Valor da casa | Anúncios de pesquisa
Saiba Mais
Undo
"It is between 14 and 18 years that most start smoking, and this is when they should be dissuaded by stressing on the disastrous consequences of tobacco use. It is also necessary to prevent access to tobacco for minors," oncologist Subir Ganguly said.
A study among high school students in Bengal found tobacco use is more common among rural male students than female students. Currently, tobacco use ranges from 36.9% to 52.4% among urban and rural students.
The total number of lung cancer patients in the eastern region could be around 12 lakh, claims Bengal Oncology, an organisation working to provide cancer treatment to the underprivileged. But muted symptoms are responsible for a huge number of lung cancer cases remaining undiagnosed or detected late, leading to high mortality, say oncologists and pulmonologists. "So, the actual figure is likely to be much more than 12 lakh, as it does not include the huge number of undiagnosed and unreported cases.
It could be a few more lakhs," Ganguly added.
A persistent cough, fever, breathing distress or sudden weight loss needs immediate medical intervention, said Charnock Hospital pulmonologist Soumya Sengupta. "While tobacco use is the principal trigger, secondary smoking, environmental smoke or smoke from chullahs are equally responsible for lung cancer," Sengupta added. "If early signs are heeded, it can be detected in the first two stages, which makes lung cancer curable through surgical intervention.
But that rarely happens."
Around 55% afflicted with the ailment is diagnosed in the third or fourth stages of the illness and survive less than five years, according to data and case studies compiled by the Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER). Lack of awareness on the part of non-oncologists and faulty first-line treatment are as much responsible for higher mortality rates as ignorance on the part of patients, experts say.
.
Medica Superspecialty Hospital and Manipal Hospital pulmonologist and intensivist Arnab Bera said this posed a significant health risk. "With nearly 26.7 crore adults using tobacco in India, we must revise tobacco cessation policies to introduce effective alternatives," Bera said. "These alternatives should be reserved for smokers, providing scientifically proven solutions for those eager to quit, by incorporating successful strategies from countries like Japan, Sweden, UK, and US.
By consulting experts, we can introduce safer alternatives like HTP for smoking cessation," he added.
Physicians often lack the training to recognise and respond to early warning signs, statistics suggest. Most cases wouldn't have been detected late, had the initial warning signals been heeded, said Diptendra Sarkar, head of the department of breast cancer, IPGMER. "There is a set of indications that are easy to identify and should lead to tests to rule out cancer. But it rarely happens. So, more than half of the city's cancer patients seek treatment in the final stages and survive less than five years," Sarkar said.