A 52-year-old man who quit chewing tobacco at the age of 30 was recently diagnosed with an advanced stage cancer that had spread to his jaw and cheek. The doctors had to remove part of his left jaw and cheek and reconstructed it with portions from his leg.
The diagnosis of oral cancer shocked the patient who thought quitting tobacco meant he was not at risk. “I was surprised because I had not touched tobacco for nearly two decades. I was eating healthy meals and had a healthy lifestyle,” the businessman from western suburbs said.
He said, “It started with an ulcer in the mouth. Despite basic treatment, the ulcer continued to grow. A doctor eventually suggested a biopsy and my worst fears came true.”
According to surgical oncologist Dr. Satish Rao, cancer in the oral cavity is mostly due to tobacco use. Dr. Rao, who operated on him at Jaslok Hospital, said the surgery involved removing the entire left half of the jaw, left side of the cheek with part of overlying skin, nodes and upper and lower teeth.
“The reconstruction was carried out using bone, overlying muscle, skin, and the feeder blood vessels of the left lower part of leg,” Dr. Rao said. The patient will be on liquid food for the next three months and will undergo radiation for a period of six weeks.
Experts say once a tobacco user, the risk of cancer always remains. While quitting the habit definitely lowers the risk, one must stay away from such toxic substances.
“Tobacco has several toxicants and carcinogenic elements that contribute to cancer. What people fail to realise is despite discontinuing the habit, the risk persists. There is no end to that once you get on to tobacco use. Therefore, one must never start the habit,” Dr. P.C. Gupta, head, Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, said.
