The recent news of Bollywood’s 70s Superstar, Rakesh Roshan being diagnosed with cancer has stopped the heartbeat of the nation.

The actor was apparently diagnosed with the early stage of squamous cell carcinoma of the throat, which was revealed by his son, and actor Hrithik Roshan via his Instagram account on 8th January 2019. The post included an image of the father-son duo posing in the gym, which was captioned with the sad news. As of now, several Bollywood celebrities have commented on the post showing love and support for the family, sending wishes for him to get well soon.

There is also has a cancer survivor in their family, Sunaina Roshan, Rakesh Roshan’s daughter fought the battled against cervical cancer a couple years ago. 

The actor turned filmmaker has already sent a public statement telling the fans that his surgery is complete, and he will go home on Friday or Saturday.

This new has helped in spreading awareness about the condition, as the fans of the veteran actor are searching the internet about the disease.

So, what is Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)?

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is a cancer condition caused because of uncontrolled growth of abnormal squamous cells that are present on the lining of the throat. Rakesh Roshan is suffering from SCC of the throat, that affects the lymphoid tissue in the tonsils and pharynx’s upper part.

SCC has a strong association with smoking and alcohol consumption. Cigar smoking, passive smoking and tobacco chewing are one of the most common risk factors of this condition.

Other factors like exposure to agents like perchloroethylene and asbestos, radiation, genetic, oral hygiene, and dietary habits can increase the risk factors of developing this condition.

Men are more likely to be afflicted with throat cancer which has an age bar of 65 years.

Common Symptoms experienced during Squamous Cell Carcinoma

1. Voice turns hoarse

2. Difficulty in swallowing

3. Breathing problems

4. Pain in ears

5. Lump formation in the neck

6. Constant Coughing

7. Unexplained Weight Loss

8. Persistent Throat Soreness

Medical Analysis

Are celebrities more prone to cancer?

The lifestyle of Bollywood as portrayed by the media with glamorous parties, alcohol and smoke surrounding them every other day could potentially be responsible for the increase in the number of cancer patients in the industry. In the last decades, popular names like Sonali Bendre, Irrfan Khan, Manisha Koirala, Lisa Ray and Anurag Basu have made headlines with their shocking diagnosis of cancer. But then again there a number of factors like food habits, daily routines and genetics that can increase the risk of cancer.

It is unfair to judge an individual’s medical condition merely based on their lifestyle choices; Squamous Cell Carcinoma is a pretty common condition which affects a huge portion of the world population. However, media has taken this news out of proportion and ignorantly started talking about the medical condition, presenting celebrity lifestyle in a negative light.