Mumbai: As seven out of 10 patients with head-and-neck cancers in India reach hospitals only after the disease has severely advanced, doctors — ahead of World Head and Neck Cancer Day on July 27 — underlined the importance of routine screening for oral cancer.The Mazgaon-based Head and Neck Cancer Institute of India (HNCII), along with NGOs Cancer Patients Aid Association, Indian Cancer Society and dentists, on Friday launched an awareness and screening campaign titled ‘In Cancer, Delay Is the Real Killer’.“The idea is to urge people to seek medical attention at the first sign of symptoms rather than postponing diagnosis or treatment,” HNCII founder Dr Sultan A Pradhan said. Head and neck cancers account for nearly 30% of all cancers in India, with tobacco use responsible for the majority of cases.The BMC also last year started screening for oral, cervical and breast cancer, but experts feel wider awareness is needed. In 2025, the BMC screened close to 3 lakh people for oral cancer, identifying 3,000 as suspected cases; 650 biopsies were conducted that further led to 24 patients getting diagnosed with oral cancer.On Friday, Dr Pradhan said, “We have made significant advances in the treatment of cancer, but these advances can only help if patients reach us in time.” Too often, people ignore a symptom, wait for it to disappear, postpone a consultation or delay treatment after diagnosis. “Our message is simple: if something is not right, get it checked. In cancer, delay is the real killer,” he added.People should not ignore persistent mouth ulcers, painless lumps in the neck, difficulty in swallowing or unexplained changes in voice, as these could be early warning signs of oral or head and neck cancers.
