Roadmap for Pakistan’s First Oral Cancer Guidelines
News Desk
Islamabad: Leading medical experts from across Pakistan have launched a landmark initiative to formulate the country’s first national consensus guidelines for the management of oral cavity cancer, a disease that represents a significant portion of the national cancer burden.
The initiative was discussed at a high-level meeting hosted by NORI Hospital Chairperson Dr Humaira in Islamabad, bringing together head and neck surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, and nuclear medicine specialists from major cancer centres including KIRAN Karachi, INMOL Lahore, IRNUM Peshawar, CINAR Quetta, and NORI Islamabad.
Experts noted that Pakistan has one of the highest rates of oral cavity cancer globally. The disease accounts for around 10.6 per cent of all cancers in the country, making it the most common malignancy among men and the second most common cancer overall.
They attributed the high prevalence largely to the widespread use of smokeless tobacco products, including betel quid (paan), areca nut (supari), gutka, naswar, as well as cigarette smoking.
Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Mubashir Ikram said treatment practices currently vary across institutions due to the absence of unified national protocols. He noted that a large number of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, resulting in poorer outcomes and higher treatment costs.
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Dr. Ahmad Nawaz informed participants that experts have agreed to adapt internationally recognised frameworks rather than develop entirely new guidelines. The process will follow the ADAPTE methodology to tailor existing evidence-based recommendations to Pakistan’s healthcare system and treatment realities.
The guidelines will draw upon standards issued by the U.S.-based National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Participants approved a phased roadmap for the initiative, beginning with the formation of specialist panels for different oral cavity subsites, including the tongue, buccal mucosa, and floor of the mouth. This will be followed by evidence review, drafting, peer review, and final endorsement prior to publication.
Pakistan Head and Neck Society Chairman Dr. Altaf Hussain described the initiative as an urgent and historic step toward standardising cancer care, improving patient survival, and promoting collaborative research.
Associate Professor of ENT at PIMS and focal person for the initiative, Dr Malik Jawad Faisal, said the effort marks a major milestone toward establishing a unified national framework for oral cancer management. He added that experts from leading institutions are committed to developing evidence-based recommendations suited to Pakistan’s healthcare system to reduce treatment variations and improve patient care.
The meeting concluded with a collective commitment from participating institutions to finalize and implement the country’s first comprehensive national guidelines for oral cavity cancer management.
