Introduction :
Cancer is a dreadful disease. It is not just a killer; it represents many human stories involving fear, grief, depression, financial crisis, love, care, deep sorrow, and moments of recovery.
Cancer is the first or second leading cause of premature death (ages 30?69 years) in 134 of 183 countries, and ranks third or fourth in an additional 45 countries.1
Globally in 2020, approximately 1 in 6 deaths was due to cancer, with around 1 crore deaths. This number may rise to 1.5 crore in the next decade. About two-thirds of cancer deaths occur in developing countries.2
In Bangladesh, approximately 114 people per lakh are suffering from various cancers. There are about 20 lakh cancer patients in the country, with around 53 new cases per lakh population each year. Approximately 2 lakh people are affected annually, and nearly 1 lakh die each year due to cancer. Cancer accounts for about 12% of total deaths, with an estimated 273 deaths per day in Bangladesh. Studies suggest this burden may double in the coming three decades.3
In the human body, there are about 100 trillion cells. Uncontrolled and uncoordinated proliferation of these cells leads to cancer. There are about 200 different types of cancer affecting humans. One in two people may be affected by cancer during their lifetime, and males are affected approximately twice as often as females. Three out of five people ignore early symptoms of cancer.
At least 30 types of cancer affect the head and neck region, collectively known as head and neck cancers.