Assessing the oral cancer risk of South-Asian immigrants in New York City

Abstract

Increasing immigration from South Asia, where oral cancer is one of the most common cancers in adults, suggests that this disease will probably pose a serious public health problem in the United States. According to the 2000 Census, there are approximately 1.9 million South Asians in the U.S., and their access to dental care is limited. The morbidity and mortality associated with oral cancer can be reduced by primary prevention and early detection. South Asians are not a homogenous group, and areca, and important risk factor for oral cancer, has religious and cultural significance in some South Asian communities. In order to develop culturally relevant preventive and educational interventions, it is important to assess risk behaviors according to ethnic and religious subgroup identity. In this report, the author provides an overview of oral cancer risk factors among South‐Asian immigrants in the U.S., and describes a recently funded pilot study designed to assess oral cancer risk behaviors in South Asian seniors. The data collected will be used to develop risk profiles of South Asian religious and ethnic sub‐groups. It is hoped that medical and dental providers will be able to use the risk profiles to target early‐detection and risk‐reduction services in this population. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.

Mental Health and Stress Among South Asians

“…9,53,54 Heavy alcohol intake is a major risk factor for the development of oral cancer, in particular, for squamous cell carcinoma. 55 For alcohol consumption of 25 grams/day, there is an 80% increased risk of developing oral cancer, a three-fold risk increase for 50 grams/day, and a six fold increased risk for alcohol intake of 100 grams/day.…”

Interaction of cadmium and zinc in biological samples of smokers and chewing tobacco female mouth cancer patients

“…The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) now regards the betel nut itself to be a known human carcinogen [35]. In making this new finding, the working group had available recent epidemiological studies from India and Pakistan which allowed disentangle the effect of betel quid with and without tobacco, and studies from Taiwan (China), where tobacco is not added to the betel quid [35][36][37].…”

“…People chewing tobacco in betel quid and areca nut are over five times more likely to be at risk of oral cancer [37,38]. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) now regards the betel nut itself to be a known human carcinogen [35].…”

Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research, and Training's Legacy

“…[40][41][42][43][44] Ninez Ponce, PhD, the first of our AANCART Pilot Study Principal Investigators, has built upon the research from her NCI/AANCART pilot study to earn a Mentored Research Award. We expect additional publications will be produced from pilot studies that have been funded and we will continue to track our cohort of funded pilot study investigators as part of AANCART's legacy.…”