Chewing Tobacco and Colon Cancer

Tobacco Epidemic:

Tobacco is a considerable fact for about one in three of all cancer deaths in the developed world, and about one in five worldwide . With increases in tobacco intake population, a considerable increase in cancer-attributed deaths is seen. Hence the situation is explained as Tobacco Epidemic .According to ‘The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’ , tobacco intake is the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries and an important cause of premature death worldwide.

Organ Colon and Colon Cancer in a brief:

The large intestine is the colon, the cecum, and the rectum. The Colon is the part the human digestive system which draws out water and salt from solid wastes before they are excreted. The colon is divided into four sections:-

• the ascending colon,
• the transverse colon,
• the descending colon, and
• the sigmoid colon

Colon Cancer is also referred as ‘Colorectal Cancer’ or ‘Large Bowel Cancer’ which includes undesirable growth in the colon. It is found to be the third most common form of cancer and observed to be the third leading cause of cancer-based deaths in the Western world with approximately 655,000 deaths worldwide each year . Initially it develops from Polyps in the colon. Polyps are generally non-cancerous mushroom-shaped growths, but over time may develop into cancer. In the U.S. the risk of developing colon cancer is about 7% .

Two killer C’s (Chewing-tobacco and Colon Cancer) together:

If Chewing Tobacco may cause Colon Cancer is yet to be proven as it is not much studied. But the following facts gives a picture of Colon cancer development due to the Tobacco chewing:

• Tobacco is rich in a carcinogenic alkaloid called Nicotine .
• This Nicotine passes into the bloodstream from dermal contact on Chewing tobacco.
• 40—60 mg (0.5-1.0 mg/kg) of Nicotine can be a lethal in adult humans.
• Intake of an extremely high dosage of Nicotine in intoxication or even death in few cases.
• Nicotine impedes apoptosis (body destroys unwanted cells or cells that can get cancerous called programmed cell death). This inhibitory actions in body due to Nicotine may create a favourable environment for cancer development.