Otolaryngology: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Oral cancer in south India is a major health concern and due to the rampant habit of usage of tobacco and its allied products majority of patients present with oral cancer but in an advanced stage. The common presentation being stage-IV lesions in the gingivobuccal sulcus is due to the use of quid, a form of tobacco mixed with betel leaf, slaked lime and areca nut. The lesion frequently involves buccal mucosa and the sulcus jutting the alveolus, leading to mandibulotomy. Majority of the patients living in the rural areas and inaccessibility to the specialist and longer distances, economic status are few problems faced in reaching out to the specialty care of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS). This paper presents a series of cases presented during 2009-2014 including the demographic data, habits, TNM and treatment result analysis. The author wishes to create an Oral Cancer Forum to invite likeminded people to serve the oral cancer patients to deliver the state of art treatment to them. The smile train delivers the financial assistance to cleft patients including the doctor and assistant fees. Why not for patients with oral cancer? The Arogya Shree Scheme though in place, an oral surgeon has to depend on the oncologist to admit the patient and to provide assistance. Because of the paucity of time and lack of Occupational Therapy (OT) availability, treatment is delayed. If an oral cancer fund is established and OT is made available, it is possible to completely give importance to oral cancer patients��? which in turn helps us to spread the surgical skills to trainees.

Biography

Email: drrmlalitha@yahoo.co.in