Head and neck cancers spreading rapidly in Karachi

The head and neck cancers are spreading rapidly in Pakistan, especially in Karachi, said Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Khalid Bukhari.

"Two to three head and neck cancer patients come to Civil Hospital every day," Dr Bukhari said adding a person dies of head and neck cancer around the world every hour.

He gave this information while addressing the inaugural session of awareness campaign organised in collaboration with Civil Hospital ENT Unit Two, Dow Medical College and Tumor Board Establishment Facilitation Forum (TEFF). Former Head of ENT Department, Prof. Shuja Farrukh, Head of ENT Unit 1, Prof. Zeba Ahmed, Head of ENT Unit 2, Prof. Sadaf Zia and TEFF President, Dr. Nimrata Kumari also addressed the inaugural session. A large number of doctors and paramedical staff were also present on this occasion.

Bukhari said that cancer patients reach here only at the last stage. Conducting awareness campaigns is urgently needed in small hospitals in suburbs of the city, including general practitioners, so that patients can be properly guided regarding symptoms, diagnosis and treatment because by the time a patient reaches civil hospital or a big hospital setup, it becomes untreatable.

Prof Farrukh highlighted that globally, head and neck cancer accounts for 4-5% of all cancer cases, with 10-15% diagnosed at our hospital. He expressed concern over late-stage patients' habits like betel leaf chewing, betelnut, gutka, or naswar. He commended TEFF's awareness efforts and suggested treatment options like surgery, radiosurgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Dr. Sadaf listed risk factors such as smoking, paan, chalaya, snuff, alcohol, poor diet, and hygiene. She urged prompt consultation if symptoms like difficulty breathing, swallowing, voice changes, or throat inflammation occur, emphasizing the need for comprehensive testing.

Prof Zeba emphasized that timely diagnosis of mouth cancer is crucial for saving lives. Awareness among patients and their relatives is key. While some relief may be possible in stage three or four cancer, it's often not curable. She stressed the responsibility of medical professionals in raising disease awareness and lauded TEFF's efforts in head and neck cancer awareness. Zeba underscored the importance of conducting periodic disease awareness campaigns.

Head of TEFF, Dr. Nimrata Kumari said that cancer awareness campaigns should be conducted regularly. Apart from ENT, they conduct awareness campaigns regarding pediatric, oncology, colorectal, breast, gynecological and other cancers. Earlier, Dr. Khalid Bukhari cut the ribbon and inaugurated the awareness campaign. Later, the cake was also cut.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2024.