Karachi: The 4th of February is commemorated annually as the World Cancer Day to raise awareness about cancer and complication associated with this disease thereby promoting its prevention. For this in view, the Department of Oral Pathology, Bahria University’s Medical & Dental College (BMUDC) arranged a “Seminar on Oral Cancer” on February 4. The objective of this seminar was to emphasize the intensity of this disease prevailing in our society, to encourage its prevention, through early detection and treatment and educating the audience on how they can make a difference in the fight against cancer so as to reduce the global burden of this life threatening disease. Headed by Dr Daud Mirza, HOD Oral Pathology, BUMDC, the seminar was assisted by Dr Ghazal Raza and Dr Zara Karim. Guest speaker Dr Ghazanfar Hassan, Associate Professor and Chairman of OMFS at Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro, as well as the speakers from Pathology Department- Prof Dr Mohiuddin Alamgir and Dr Kulsoom Fatima, HOD Department of Community Dentistry (BUMDC) - expressed their views on the topic. The speakers drew the audience attention towards the risk factors involved in the development of oral cancer, considered as the most prevalent head and neck cancer. As to the risk factors for oral cancer, Dr Daud Mirza said the dental community is the first line of defence in early detection of the disease. There are scores of opportunities available to catch oral cancer in its early stages. “Our goal should be to initiate efforts within the dental community to aggressively screen all of the patients visiting their practices.” The dental community has to assume its leadership role if oral cancer is to be brought down from its undeserved position as a killer. Dr Daud Mirza and Dr Mohiuddin Alamgir discussed different researches and statistical analyses done to see its prevalence worldwide. Dr Kulsoom Fatima spoke of the harmful effects of smoking, a the leading cause of oral cancer, highlighting as well the methods of how to quit it. Lastly, Director General Vice Admiral (Rtd) Tehseen Ullah Khan HI(M), and Principal, Dental Section Prof Dr Zubair Ahmed Abbasi, appreciated the efforts of the Department of Oral Pathology for arranging this education-oriented seminar. The speakers were then presented with honorary shields and the program came to a successful end.-PR
