RISE IN HEAD, MOUTH AND NECK CANCERS AMONG YOUNG PAPUA NEW GUINEANS

CAPTION: The Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) – Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery team at Port Moresby General Hospital, with visiting Australian specialists, performing surgery on a 25-year-old male patient. Photo courtesy of PMGH Media.

PORT Moresby General Hospital has raised concerns over a growing number of young people being diagnosed with cancers of the mouth, head and neck.

ENT Clinical Coordinator Dr. Osiat Baining, says cases are now being detected in patients as young as 18 and 19 conditions that were previously more common in older people.

The hospital is currently treating a 25-year-old male patient undergoing a complex surgery involving the removal of a tumour affecting the cheek and jawbone along with lymph nodes in the neck.

The procedure is being carried out with support from visiting Australian specialists by reconstructive surgery using bone from the lower leg and tissue from the thigh.

The operation is expected to take up to ten hours, followed by intensive care and further treatment such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Doctors believe the rise in cases may be linked to lifestyle habits including betel nut chewing with lime and mustard, smoking and alcohol consumption as well as poor oral hygiene and other health factors.

Health experts are urging the public to seek early medical attention for any unusual changes in the mouth and to adopt healthier habits to reduce the risk.