WEDNESDAY, Oct. 20, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- There's a link between increased betel nut quid nut production and consumption and a substantial rise in the incidence of head and neck cancers among Taiwanese men, says a National Taiwan University Hospital study.
The researchers reported their finding at this week's American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Seattle.
Betel quid is a popular legal stimulant in Asia. Chewing betel quid is a common practice in Asia and among Asian immigrants around the world. It's used for its stimulant effects, to sweeten the breath, to satisfy hunger, and as a cultural and social activity.
"Recent findings have spurred a great debate about whether the government should curb the expansion of domestic betel quid cultivation," researcher Dr. Chiun Hsu, of National Taiwan University Hospital, said in a prepared statement. "It is our hope that these findings will prove helpful in shaping future public health policy on this issue."
In Taiwan and China, the incidence of oral cancer in men has tripled since the early 1980s. That coincides with a large increase since the early 1970s in betel quid chewing. World Health Organization statistics show that oral cancers are more common in parts of the world where betel quid is chewed.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about head and neck cancer.
