KARACHI, May 7: Speakers, including oncologists, ENT specialists, dentists, pathologists and general physicians, have demanded an immediate ban on processing and sale of branded pan masala and sweetened betel nuts in the country.
Addressing a meeting held here on Wednesday under the aegis of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Karachi, the medical experts warned people and the concerned authorities not to consider betel nut (Chhalia or Supari) chewing a benign habit as it had countless hazards.
Consumers of betel nuts, betel leaves and related products such as ‘gutka’ were reminded of the fact that these things were the major contributory factors which led to oral cancers.
The Chairman of Oncology Department, Baqai Institute of Oncology, Prof Manzoor Zaidi, observed that stiffness of muscles and tissues of mouth, with tongue turning into a mere rubber strap, was caused due to the prolonged chewing of supari.
According to him, the conditions are a manifestation of the early stage oral cancer which not only has no remedy but is also followed by horrifying sequence of control and treatment methods as the patient’s mouth has to be opened forcefully with certain instruments and retained in proper position with the help of wood or plastic strips to prevent further stricture.
Prof Zaidi, having an experience of 45 years in treating cancer patients in the city, said that a condition largely preventable, easy to be diagnosed and having better treatment chances through timely intervention, continued to affect many in the country.
The patients, he pointed out, belonged to all classes, age groups and genders. With regard to fungus-infested betel nut, he said this particularly contributed to liver cancers.
A dental surgeon, Dr Zaima Alavi, talked of rising trend of nut chewing and resorting to consume pan (betel leaves) with chhalia (betel nut) and also along with gutka (a combination of betel nuts, tobacco and chemicals).
She regretted that people had little awareness about the hazardous impact of these items and also about whom to consult in case one suffered from swelling or pain in gum. Delayed referral to dentists often aggravates the situation, she observed and said, “the situation, hence, calls for the prevention on part of masses as dental treatment is generally an expensive option.”
Dr Alavi mentioned certain commonest dental problems in Karachiites and observed that poor hygiene and lack of preventive measures on part of people in general led to the surge in the incidence rate of gums infections and dental diseases.
Dr Qaiser Sajjad, mentioning that in the past, elderly people appeared as common victims pan-chhalia chewing habit, regretted that the recent introduction of such products in attractive sachet packs without any check on quality had given them a big boost and made them a household item.
Sweetening betel nut with even more poisonous chemicals has been luring young and old generation alike, according to the ENT surgeon. This, he said, had caused an alarming increase in the incidence rate of mouth cancer, especially in young generation.
He also referred to a recent survey, conducted at different hospitals in the city, showing that of the 425 patients suffering from submucous fibrosis, more than 100 were below the age of 18 years, with the youngest one being 10-year-old.
He said that 91 of the patients were unable to open the mouth wider than one centimetre.
The habit was also cited as the major factor in increasing the incidence rate of mouth cancer turning next to the lung cancer in men and breast cancer in women.
The speakers mentioned that the submucous fibrosis condition was not only making the treatment difficult but also increasing medical expenditure.—APP
