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Tobacco chewing link to oral cancer 

Bangladeshi people could be at higher risk of getting oral cancer because of the popularity of chewing tobacco, research has suggested.

Chewing paan, a mixture of tobacco and areca nut, is common within the Bangladeshi community and the habit may have led to an "alarming" rise in the number of cases of oral cancer in East London, according to researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

The findings are a contrast to the national picture where rising oral cancer rates have been linked to increased alcohol consumption, according to Cancer Research UK.

While drinking alcohol is frowned upon among East London's Bangladeshi population, the habit of chewing paan, which is known to cause oral cancer, is widespread, according to the research.

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