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DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1764216
Chewing Doma (Fermented Betel Nut): Culture versus Cancer?
Abstract
Areca nut consumption is embedded in many cultures, including that of Bhutan, several parts of India, and other South Eastern countries. Traditional fermenting of areca nut results in the production of what is called doma in Bhutan. The process enhances its carcinogenic potential and is tightly linked to oral and upper gastrointestinal cancers. As many as 45% of Bhutanese people chew doma. It is the number one cause of cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. We propose the slogan “Don't chew your way to cancer, say no to doma” would help in reducing oral and esophageal cancers in Bhutan.
Publication History
Article published online:
10 April 2023
© 2023. MedIntel Services Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
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