ALCOHOL AS A RISK FACTOR IN HNC, AN ENORMOUS TOLL ON THE LIVES AND COMMUNITIES

Journal Title: Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare - Year 2016, Vol 3, Issue 12

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common cancer in the world. After smoking, alcohol consumption is a strong associated risk factor for HNC. Alcohol consumption has negative impact on health and social consequences. The existing literature shows that alcohol consumption along with smoking is an important risk factor for HNC. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this retrospective analysis of 12-years from 2001 to 2012, total 9,950 patients of histopathologically proven head and neck cancers, were included in the study. The patients were analyzed for their association with alcohol as an associated risk factor along with smoking in different HNC subtypes. RESULTS Male to female ratio was 7:1 and median age of presentation was 54-years. 59% patients were alcoholics (alcoholics only+ smokers as well as alcoholics), out of which 6% were alcoholics only and the strength of association differed between different HNC subtypes; maximum for oropharyngeal group (35%), and 7.6%, 5% and 10% for oral cavity, hypopharynx and larynx respectively. Further evaluation has shown that total smokers (smokers only+ smokers as well as alcoholics) were 89%, out of which 36% were smokers only. At last follow-up, no evidence of disease (NED) was seen in 15% patients among total alcoholics and in 20% patients among non-alcoholics. CONCLUSION The present retrospective study of HNC patients at a tertiary care centre over a period of twelve years concluded the strong association of alcohol consumption with HNC and its different subtypes. Alcohol problems have an enormous toll on lives and communities of the developing nations particularly in the populous regions of the world (e.g. in China and India). There is a need to raise awareness among the population about the negative implications of alcohol consumption and to minimize them.

Authors and Affiliations

Anil Kumar Dhull, Rajeev Atri, Vivek Kaushal, Garima Malik, Abhishek Soni, Rakesh Dhankhar, Ashok Chauhan

Keywords

Related Articles

FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF INTERTROCHANTERIC FRACTURES AFTER FIXATION WITH PFN OR DHS IN ELDERLY- A COMPARATIVE STUDY

BACKGROUND Ninety percent of the hip fractures in the elderly result from a simple fall. More than fifty percent of the hip fractures in the elderly are intertrochanteric fractures. The goal of treatment of any intertroc...

CLINICAL AND INVESTIGATIVE PROFILE OF PATIENTS HAVING SNAKEBITE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY

BACKGROUND On the Indian subcontinent, almost all snakebite deaths have traditionally been attributed to the big four consisting of the Russell's viper, Indian cobra, saw-scaled viper and the common krait. In India, the...

THORACIC COMPLICATIONS OF OESOPHAGEAL CARCINOMA- A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF CT APPEARANCES

BACKGROUND Oesophageal cancer is a common gastrointestinal tract malignancy and Computed Tomography (CT) is generally used for its initial evaluation and staging. Due to the anatomical relationships of the oesophagus, ma...

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF OUTCOMES AFTER MODIFIED RADICAL MASTECTOMY DONE UNDER THORACIC EPIDURAL vs. GENERAL ANAESTHESIA

BACKGROUND In earlier days General Anaesthesia (GA) was the choice for MRM, but recently Thoracic Epidural (TE) analgesia is being increasingly used for MRM. TE technique has a lot of advantages over the conventional GA...

CO-MORBIDITIES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL OF KERALA

BACKGROUND To manage patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) optimally, it requires appropriate knowledge of markers and stages of CKD and early disease recognition. Replacing the terms such as Chronic Kidney Disease...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP232437
  • DOI 10.18410/jebmh/2016/85
  • Views 106
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Anil Kumar Dhull, Rajeev Atri, Vivek Kaushal, Garima Malik, Abhishek Soni, Rakesh Dhankhar, Ashok Chauhan (2016). ALCOHOL AS A RISK FACTOR IN HNC, AN ENORMOUS TOLL ON THE LIVES AND COMMUNITIES. Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare, 3(12), 354-360. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-232437