GRP sitting on a ticking C-bomb
Pre-oral cancer preventive tests carried out on Government Railway Police constables addicted to chewing tobacco has produced shocking results, with 24 out of 29 tested so far found to be in the pre-cancer stage, that is just seven years away from full-blown cancer.
One of the constables tested was found to be just a year away from the stage where chemotherapy would be his only hope if he did not kick the habit. All the 24 constables are now being counselled – in groups and also individually.
The cancer testing is being undertaken by a team of five doctors of the Tata Memorial Centre following an earlier oral hygiene study among these constables revealed extremely poor standards.
During the testing pre-oral cancer tests carried out over the past two days, the constables were put through an oral clinical examination, followed by a VELscope examination and finally a cytology test.
Tests revealed that out of the 24, eight suffered from submucus fibrosis, which is a medical condition in which the patient’s mouth does not open more than 2 cm. In sub-mucous fibrosis, which make it difficult for doctors to examine the insides of a patient’s mouth, it is assumed that he suffering from leucoplacia, which is existence of white patches.
A doctor explained that with leucoplacia, the patient is likely to enter the first stage of cancer in the next seven to eight years if he continues with the habit of chewing tobacco. One constable was found to be suffering from erythoriplakia, which is presence of red patches, indicating that he would have cancer within a year if he did not give up tobacco.
Dr Kshama Vairagi, research counsellor of Tata Memorial Hospital said the reason most of the constables checked gave for consuming tobacco was professional stress. “However, the effect of nicotine to release stress is more psychological. In our group and individual sessions, we are trying to tell the constables that tobacco is, in fact, adding to their stress by compromising their longterm well-being,” she said.
The pre-oral testing camp was GRP Commissioner Madhukar Pandey’s initiative. He said he is going to ensure that all constables in pre-oral cancer stage attend counselling sessions and give up tobacco.
Pandey said it was a casual remark of a doctor during a regular check-up his constables’ poor oral hygiene that made him think of a deeper investigation. “It is known that most of them chew tobacco. So we decided to have a pre-oral examination. But the information that 24 out of the 29 tested so far are prone to cancer was shocking,” he said.
One of the constables tested was found to be just a year away from the stage where chemotherapy would be his only hope if he did not kick the habit. All the 24 constables are now being counselled – in groups and also individually.
The cancer testing is being undertaken by a team of five doctors of the Tata Memorial Centre following an earlier oral hygiene study among these constables revealed extremely poor standards.
The results of pre-oral cancer study have, however, shocked even the doctors. “We had not imagined that the percentage of GRP constables in the high-risk category would be so high. The GRP is sitting on ticking cancer bomb,” said a doctor who did not wish to be identified.
During the testing pre-oral cancer tests carried out over the past two days, the constables were put through an oral clinical examination, followed by a VELscope examination and finally a cytology test.
Tests revealed that out of the 24, eight suffered from submucus fibrosis, which is a medical condition in which the patient’s mouth does not open more than 2 cm. In sub-mucous fibrosis, which make it difficult for doctors to examine the insides of a patient’s mouth, it is assumed that he suffering from leucoplacia, which is existence of white patches.
A doctor explained that with leucoplacia, the patient is likely to enter the first stage of cancer in the next seven to eight years if he continues with the habit of chewing tobacco. One constable was found to be suffering from erythoriplakia, which is presence of red patches, indicating that he would have cancer within a year if he did not give up tobacco.
Dr Kshama Vairagi, research counsellor of Tata Memorial Hospital said the reason most of the constables checked gave for consuming tobacco was professional stress. “However, the effect of nicotine to release stress is more psychological. In our group and individual sessions, we are trying to tell the constables that tobacco is, in fact, adding to their stress by compromising their longterm well-being,” she said.
The pre-oral testing camp was GRP Commissioner Madhukar Pandey’s initiative. He said he is going to ensure that all constables in pre-oral cancer stage attend counselling sessions and give up tobacco.
Pandey said it was a casual remark of a doctor during a regular check-up his constables’ poor oral hygiene that made him think of a deeper investigation. “It is known that most of them chew tobacco. So we decided to have a pre-oral examination. But the information that 24 out of the 29 tested so far are prone to cancer was shocking,” he said.
