COLOMBO, July 16 -- An average of three people die from oral cancer every day in Sri Lanka, with tobacco use, betel chewing and alcohol consumption continuing to drive the disease, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr Thanuja Dakshini Pathiraja said.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau, Dr Pathiraja said oral cancer remains the most common cancer among men in Sri Lanka and is also among the ten most frequently diagnosed cancers in women.

She said the leading risk factors for the disease are tobacco use, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. She also warned that areca nut, commonly chewed with betel leaves, contains carcinogenic substances that significantly increase the risk of developing oral cancer...