Smokeless tobacco accounted for 57.3% of mouth cancers among men in India, while tobacco in any form estimated to be at least 73.4% of mouth cancers among women, according to a new study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research.The study, Head and Neck Cancer Burden Attributable to Tobacco Use in India: National and Region-wise Estimates, sheds light on the differences in tobacco-related cancer risks by sex, cancer site and region. The findings also bring attention to the role of smokeless tobacco products and their contribution to head and neck cancer burden in India. The researchers estimated that eliminating tobacco exposure could prevent a bulk proportion of these cancers. Smokeless Tobacco Linked To Mouth And Lip CancersAlso read: EXCLUSIVE: Ex-CDC Vaccine Advisor Says Measles Outbreak Bigger Than Reported, Slams RFK Jr’s ‘No-See Evil’ ApproachResearchers studied records of 11,285 patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers and 7,154 people with non-cancerous conditions who visited the Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India between 2019 and 2024.Among men, smokeless tobacco accounted for 61.8% of lip cancers, 30.7% of tongue cancers and 57.3% of mouth cancers.On the other hand, almost 40.2% of cancers of the base of the tongue, tonsils and oropharynx, 45.7% of hypopharyngeal cancers and 38.4% of laryngeal cancers were attributed to smoking.The authors highlighted how smoking and smokeless tobacco expose oral tissues to carcinogens. The authors wrote, “This may be because smokeless tobacco directly contacts the oral cavity, causing prolonged exposure of the tongue to carcinogens, whereas smoking produces more diffuse and less concentrated exposure.” The study also found that 55.3% of men with mouth cancer used smokeless tobacco, compared to 17.5% of men in the comparison group. Among men diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer, 85% smoked.High Burden Of Tobacco-Related Mouth Cancer Among Women Also read: Breast Cancer Awareness Day: Experts Explain Most Overlooked Breast Changes That Can Delay Diagnosis In MenAmong women, smokeless tobacco accounted for around 68.8% of lip cancers and 68% of mouth cancers. Smoking accounted for 41% of oropharyngeal cancers and 34% of hypopharyngeal cancers.The researchers estimated that the odds of mouth cancer among women who used smokeless tobacco were 17.6 times those among non-users. Among men, the corresponding odds ratio was 5.5.Tobacco Cancer Risks Across States The study also shows differences in tobacco-related cancer risks between states. Among men, the estimated proportion of mouth cancers due to smokeless tobacco was 71% in Jharkhand and 70.3% in Odisha. In southern India, the estimates were 50.2% in Karnataka, 35.1% in Tamil Nadu, 33.9% in Telangana, 25.6% in Andhra Pradesh and 25.1% in Kerala.Among women, the estimated proportion of mouth cancers due to smokeless tobacco exceeded 80% in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and several Northeastern states. In Tripura, it was around 90.4%.The authors said that these differences could be due to regional variations in tobacco consumption and the products used.However, the study used cancer risk estimates derived from hospital-based data in Kerala and applied them nationally because state-specific risk estimates were unavailable. The authors addressed this limitation, stating, “In this study, due to limited State-specific data, cancer risk from tobacco exposures was assumed uniform nationwide.” The researchers stressed the need for prevention by improving access to tobacco cessation services, especially in regions with high estimated burdens of tobacco-related cancers.“The findings emphasise the need to strengthen tobacco cessation services, especially for high-risk men in regions with elevated population attributable fractions,” the authors wrote.