Young adults face rising tobacco risks: Dr. Yugandar

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Tobacco-related cancers are increasingly being detected among younger adults, with doctors warning that delayed diagnosis and the growing use of nicotine products are contributing to a serious public health challenge.

Speaking ahead of World No Tobacco Day, Dr. Yugandar Reddy, Senior Consultant-Surgical Oncology at CARE Hospitals, said tobacco use remains one of the leading causes of preventable cancers in India. He noted that many people still associate smoking only with lung cancer, whereas tobacco is directly linked to cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, lungs, food pipe, stomach, liver, pancreas, colon, rectum, kidney, bladder and cervix, besides certain blood cancers.

Dr. Reddy said nearly one-third of all cancers are linked to tobacco use and that doctors are witnessing a growing number of oral, throat and lung cancer cases among people in their 30s and 40s. He stressed that warning signs such as persistent cough, blood in sputum, unexplained weight loss, non-healing mouth ulcers, voice changes and difficulty swallowing should not be ignored.

He said early detection and timely tobacco cessation can significantly improve treatment outcomes and reduce cancer risk.