Epidemiologic Review of Head and Neck Cancers, Oral Precancers, and Dietary Risk Factors in India

Each year in India, it is estimated that 82,914 oral cavity cancer cases, 46,335 pharyngeal cancer cases and 26,373 laryngeal cancer cases occur (Ferlay et al., 2002). Thus, combined as head and neck cancers, it is the most common cancer (156,622 cases), surpassing cervical cancer (132,082 cases per year) and breast cancer (82,951 cases per year). The high incidence of oral cancer in India has been attributed to tobacco chewing, tobacco smoking, and alcohol drinking (IARC, 2004a,b; 2007, 2010).