Mumbai, July 27, 2026: With India's annual head and neck cancer burden projected to rise to 5.57 lakh new cases and 2.63 lakh deaths by 2050, experts at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, called for strengthening early screening, timely diagnosis and tobacco cessation during a workshop on "Oral and Head and Neck Cancer Screening and Basic Clinical Management".
Held ahead of World Head and Neck Cancer Day (July 27), the programme brought together more than 100 healthcare professionals from across Maharashtra to build capacity in evidence-based oral cancer screening and multidisciplinary management.
Workshop Focuses On Early Detection
The workshop was organised on July 24 by the Division of Implementation Science and Behavioural Research (DISBR), Centre for Cancer Epidemiology (CCE), in collaboration with the Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra, at the Mini Auditorium, Paymaster Shodhika, ACTREC. Medical officers, clinicians, dentists and public health professionals from Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai attended.
According to GLOBOCAN 2024, head and neck cancers account for an estimated 1.02 million new cases and 470,000 deaths globally each year. India contributes nearly one-third of this burden, recording 316,514 new cases and 141,063 deaths annually.
By 2050, the global burden is projected to rise to 1.58 million new cases and 772,000 deaths, while India's annual burden is expected to reach 557,000 new cases and 263,000 deaths.
Observed every year on July 27, World Head and Neck Cancer Day seeks to raise awareness about the growing burden of these cancers by promoting prevention, recognition of early warning signs, early diagnosis and equitable access to quality cancer care.
Capacity Building For Healthcare Professionals
The workshop aimed to strengthen healthcare professionals' skills in oral cancer screening, early detection and multidisciplinary clinical management in line with the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
Scientific sessions covered the epidemiology of head and neck cancers, evidence supporting oral cancer screening, implementation strategies and findings from screening demonstration projects.
Participants also reviewed Maharashtra's progress in population-based screening for non-communicable diseases, with a special focus on oral cavity cancers.
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Oral Cancer Guide Launched
The programme also featured sessions on multidisciplinary management, tobacco cessation services and updates from the Maharashtra Public Health Department's NCD Division on oral cancer control initiatives.
During the inaugural session, ACTREC launched the Oral Cancer Guide, reaffirming Tata Memorial Centre's commitment to strengthening awareness, screening and early detection of oral and head and neck cancers.
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