If you have been putting off kicking that dirty habit, there is no better time like the present, says Dr Ganesh Dev Vashishta.
Let us try and understand why it is important to avoid all forms of tobacco consumption. Smoking tobacco is the most important cause of preventable cancers.
It contributes to more than a third of all cancers. Tobacco consumed in any form could cause the following forms of cancer of the body, including oral cancer:
Throat cancer,Lung cancer,Stomach cancer,Bladder cancer,Kidney cancer.
Smoking tobacco also causes several heart, lung and brain diseases, including heart attacks, emphysema and stroke, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.
Tobacco smoke contains nicotine and hundreds of chemicals that can cause cancer. Nicotine is addictive in nature but by itself, is not carcinogenic.
Non-smokers inhaling environmental smoke (passive or second-hand smoke) are at risk of contracting cardio-vascular and lung diseases, in addition to cancer.
With the enforcement of strict legislation, banning of smoking in public in the western world, tobacco companies have moved in to developing countries. Now, 84 per cent of all tobacco users live in developing countries, leading to a great increase in the incidence of cancers and mortality.
In India, there are 120 million tobacco users (smoking, chewing, using snuff). About 1 million people die due to tobacco-related diseases including cancers.
The worrying part is that these deaths occur during the ages of 30 and 60 years, the most productive years of their lives, causing a great social and economic loss.
The changing pattern of smoking where more and more children and women are smoking is reflected in the changing pattern of cancer incidence.
There is an increased incidence of cancers in younger individuals and increased lung cancer in women. Tobacco chewing is associated with increased incidence of cancer of the mouth, throat and food pipe.
Though restricting the access to tobacco products, banning of smoking in public and banning of tobacco advertisements help, it is ultimately the awareness among the public that will help reduce tobacco usage, thereby reducing the incidence of cancer.
Quitting cigarette smoking is extremely important, especially in chronic/chain smokers. It drastically brings down the risk of developing cancer or heart disease, compared to those who smoke occasionally or "socially".
Smokers who have developed cancer are also advised to quit smoking as continued smoking could reduce the effect of treatment, increase the side effects and increase risk of second-level cancers. Advanced stage cancer is associated with a great deal of morbidity and mortality.
The only way forward is prevention and early detection of cancer by creating awareness among the public. Adapt a healthy lifestyle by:
Avoiding tobacco and alcohol
Leaning towards a vegetarian diet, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Regularly exercising and maintaining optimal body weight.
Prevention is the most cost-effective management of cancer and other health problems caused by consumption of tobacco.
(The writer is chief medical
oncologist, BGS Global Hospitals.)
Let us try and understand why it is important to avoid all forms of tobacco consumption. Smoking tobacco is the most important cause of preventable cancers.
It contributes to more than a third of all cancers. Tobacco consumed in any form could cause the following forms of cancer of the body, including oral cancer:
Throat cancer,Lung cancer,Stomach cancer,Bladder cancer,Kidney cancer.
Smoking tobacco also causes several heart, lung and brain diseases, including heart attacks, emphysema and stroke, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.
Tobacco smoke contains nicotine and hundreds of chemicals that can cause cancer. Nicotine is addictive in nature but by itself, is not carcinogenic.
Non-smokers inhaling environmental smoke (passive or second-hand smoke) are at risk of contracting cardio-vascular and lung diseases, in addition to cancer.
With the enforcement of strict legislation, banning of smoking in public in the western world, tobacco companies have moved in to developing countries. Now, 84 per cent of all tobacco users live in developing countries, leading to a great increase in the incidence of cancers and mortality.
In India, there are 120 million tobacco users (smoking, chewing, using snuff). About 1 million people die due to tobacco-related diseases including cancers.
The worrying part is that these deaths occur during the ages of 30 and 60 years, the most productive years of their lives, causing a great social and economic loss.
The changing pattern of smoking where more and more children and women are smoking is reflected in the changing pattern of cancer incidence.
There is an increased incidence of cancers in younger individuals and increased lung cancer in women. Tobacco chewing is associated with increased incidence of cancer of the mouth, throat and food pipe.
Though restricting the access to tobacco products, banning of smoking in public and banning of tobacco advertisements help, it is ultimately the awareness among the public that will help reduce tobacco usage, thereby reducing the incidence of cancer.
Quitting cigarette smoking is extremely important, especially in chronic/chain smokers. It drastically brings down the risk of developing cancer or heart disease, compared to those who smoke occasionally or "socially".
Smokers who have developed cancer are also advised to quit smoking as continued smoking could reduce the effect of treatment, increase the side effects and increase risk of second-level cancers. Advanced stage cancer is associated with a great deal of morbidity and mortality.
The only way forward is prevention and early detection of cancer by creating awareness among the public. Adapt a healthy lifestyle by:
Avoiding tobacco and alcohol
Leaning towards a vegetarian diet, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Regularly exercising and maintaining optimal body weight.
Prevention is the most cost-effective management of cancer and other health problems caused by consumption of tobacco.
(The writer is chief medical
oncologist, BGS Global Hospitals.)