 |
|
 | ||
 | ||
|
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Beedi proven a villian again!
Beedi, which has for long known to be a source of cancers of lung and oral cavity, is proven to be a causative risk factor for gastric cancers as well. The first cohort study on the subject in India conducted by Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) and published in a recent issue of the prestigious World Journal of Gastroenterology shows that beedi smokers have an elevated gastric cancer (GC) risk as compared to never smokers.
The study ‘Gastric cancer risk in relation to tobacco use and alcohol drinking in Kerala, India’ carried out in Karunagappally in coastal Kollam covered 65,553 men between the ages of 30 and 84 during the 1990-2009 period.
Beedi smoking was found to increase the risk of GC among never cigarette smokers more evidently with a relative risk (RR) of 2.2.
GC risk increases with number and duration of beedi smoking. Those who started beedi smoking below the age of 18 and between 18-22 years had a RR of 2.0 and 1.8 respectively for developing gastric cancers as against the risk of never-beedi smokers.
RR is a statistical measure that explains the probability of developing a disease; higher the RR, higher the risk.
During the period from 1990 to 1997, every resident of Karunagappally taluk was surveyed for socio-demographic and other lifestyle-related factors as a part of the investigation. A detailed questionnaire was used to elicit factors such as household socioeconomic status, religion, education, income, and occupation along with lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking habits, and dietary practices.
In what could send strong signals to public health advocates, the study has found a strong association between GC incidence and occupational patterns. Of the 116 gastric cancers identified at the end of the study period in 2009, 51 cases were in farmers and fishermen followed by 28 cases in persons doing white-collar jobs.
The study has been supported by Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India; the Health Research Foundation, Japan; and Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.
Dr P Jayalekshmi, Associate Professor, Cancer Epidemiology, RCC and Dr Paul Sebastian, Director, RCC conceived and designed the study.
The entire study can be accessed here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)