'Quitting tobacco first step to preventing oral cancer' -Governance Now

'Quitting tobacco first step to preventing oral cancer'

Tata Memorial study shows smoking, chewing cessation lowers buccal mucosa cancer risk by up to 61%, reinforcing the critical role of quitting in cancer prevention

Geetanjali Minhas | February 21, 2026 | Mumbai

#Healthcare #Cancer

A study from the Centre for Cancer Epidemiology at the Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, has provided new evidence that quitting tobacco, both smoking and chewing, substantially reduces the risk of oral cancer. Published in the International Journal of Cancer, the research highlights long-term benefits of cessation, offering critical guidance for public health interventions in India.

The study demonstrates that individuals who quit smoking experience a 61% reduction in the risk of oral cavity cancer, while those who stop chewing tobacco see a 42% risk reduction after ten years compared to continuous users. Despite these encouraging figures, researchers emphasize that the risk for former users never fully aligns with individuals who have never used tobacco.

“Quitting reduces risk significantly, but the safest option remains never to start,” explained Dr Rajesh, Director of the Centre for Cancer Epidemiology and lead author of the study, during an interaction here on Friday.

For the first time, the benefits of smokeless tobacco cessation have been clearly quantified. With India reporting nearly 30% of adults as current tobacco chewers, these findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen cessation strategies alongside preventive policies.

Dr Sudeep Gupta, Director of Tata Memorial Centre, stressed, “Tobacco chewing is the single most preventable cause of oral cancer, with over 80% of cases potentially avoidable through effective control policies. These findings provide evidence to reinforce ongoing government cessation programs.”

The Government of India has established over 2,000 Tobacco Cessation Centres across hospitals, dental colleges, and medical colleges, alongside four National Tobacco Quit-Line Services (NTQLS) offering counselling in multiple regional languages. These platforms aim to support current users through in-person, digital, and telephonic interventions.

Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director of ACTREC, highlighted, “Tobacco use in any form is a strong risk factor for oral cancer. Cessation is critical for those who have already initiated these habits, and this study provides data-backed motivation for quitting.”

The research also holds implications for counselling and policy-making.

Dr Sharayu Mhatre, Scientific Officer and lead author, remarked, “These findings provide concrete evidence that all forms of tobacco are harmful, but cessation can reverse risk. This can guide motivational counselling and strengthen future government intervention policies.”

Oral cancer remains a significant public health challenge in India, accounting for nearly one-third of global cases, with approximately 141,342 new diagnoses annually. Major risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol, areca nut chewing, and poor oral hygiene, compounded by genetic susceptibility in certain populations.

The study funded by Department of Health Research, employed a case-control design, comparing patients with oral cancer to matched controls, to identify the impact of cessation over time.

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