According to an article in the November issue of the Journal of the Indian Medical Association, doctors at Grant Medical College in Mumbai have reported cases of what they are referring to as ‘sari’ cancer.

“The sari petticoat, if tied in the same place day after day, can cause chronic irritation along the waistline,” says the report. “The constant irritation can result in scaling or pigmentation. But most sariwearers don’t notice it until it gets chronic,” says author of the article Dr G D Bakhshi with colleagues Dr Ashok D Borisa and Dr Mukund B Tayade..

He adds that women need to be cautious because waist dermatoses can turn malignant as it did in the case of the three women treated at GMC. “We have treated three women for waist or sari cancer in the past couple of years,” says he.  All the women were above the age of 40. 

Lifestyle cancer

Pune-based Dr C B Koppikar, senior cancer surgeon, Jehangir Hospital and medical director at Prashanti Cancer Care Mission, has read about this type of cancer, but hasn’t seen any cases related to it.

“This type of skin cancer is many times caused due to chronic irritation. I have seen a case of Kangari cancer which is also a cancer of the skin caused by chronic irritation of a pot of hot coals that women in Kashmir carry inside their dress to keep warm and the cancer occurs as a result of the chronic irritation and usually occurs on the thighs.

The sari cancer is a type of skin cancer that results from chronic irritation at the site where the thread of the petticoat cuts into the skin.” The treatment is an excision with a good margin and will suffice if the tumour is diagnosed early. “It can spread via the lymphatic pathways to the groin nodes. If that happens, then the treatment would entail these nodes.
 
The cancer is curable easily in the early stages but if it starts to spread then the chances of cure lessens considerably. It is avoidable by changing the site of tying the thread or increasing the breadth of the tape that is tied around. If a lady finds an irritating thickened skin where the thread is tied, get this checked immediately,”explains Koppikar. He does agree with the fact that it is a lifestyle induced cancer.