COVID-19 derails oral cancer detection drives in state

Karnataka has one of the highest oral cancer cases among all states in the country owing to its high tobacco cultivation. As dentists come in close contact with oral cavity, saliva and blood, and respiratory tract secretions, oral cancer screening outreach programmes under the National Cancer Screening Programme has been deferred in the light of COVID-19.

Dr Pramila A G, Deputy Director, Oral Health, of the health department told DH, “Our dentists used to participate in the camps conducted by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) department. Now that it is risky to come in contact with saliva due to the pandemic, we are performing only emergency oral health procedures.”

This is expected to affect the state’s oral cancer case detection rates. Currently, 257 dentists under the oral health wing have been called back from COVID-19 duties in fever clinics and, since June 1, are back in their OPDs in the dental departments of public hospitals.

Dr Rangaswamy H V, Deputy Director, Non Communicable Diseases, of the health department said, “Oral cancer accounts for 7.4% of the total cancers in the state. Whoever comes to our NCD clinics is screened based on the symptoms told verbally like white patches, swelling, bleeding etc.”

Even the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, which conducted screening camps for smokers and tobacco users, is not conducting camps anymore. In the past two years, the intensity of the camps were increased by Kidwai because BEL company donated a hi-tech bus equipped with all facilities. Per month, 10 to 12 camps were conducted and each camp screened hundred people, which stopped after the pandemic outbreak.

Dr Vishal Rao, Head and Neck Cancer surgeon with HCG hospital, said, “The only effective strategy to reduce oral cancer mortality is screening and early detection. These are specially effective in high risk groups for oral cancer who consume tobacco and alcohol. COVID is known to cause higher mortality in patients with NCD such as cancer. Screening high risk population combined with health education is useful.”

Dr C Ramesh, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology. said, “Kidwai alone sees around 1,200 new oral cancer cases every year. Karnataka sees 15,000 new cases every year and has an existing case load of 35,000. Twelve per cent of Kidwai’s cases were detected through screening by the hospital and NGOs. White patches, red patches, injuries to the gum, are classical signs of oral cancer.”