An institutional study was carried out in 102 patients to investigate the site specific effect of addictions, that is, tobacco smoking and tobacco chewing (
smokeless), both independently and synergistically in development of
malignancies in upper aerodigestive tract through retrograde questionnaire. The histopathologically proven cases were interviewed regarding different forms of addictions followed by clinical examination and investigations for grading (according to Modified Broadmann's method) and TNM staging (according to UICC) according to the
tumor site. Statistical analysis was done by Pearson test. Out of all proven cases of
cancers, 29.4% were only tobacco chewers (
smokeless), 25.5% were only smokers, 42.2% were having both types of tobacco addictions (
smoke and
smokeless), and only 2.9% were having no addiction. Out of only tobacco chewers (
smokeless), 83.3% were of oral cavity
cancers, 6.7% were of oro- and hypopharynx and the rest were of others. Among only smokers, 69.2% cases were of laryngeal and oro- and hypopharynx as compared to 11.5% of oral cavity
cancers (nearly 6 times). Tobacco (smokeless) chewing is associated with
oral cancers whereas tobacco smoking is associated with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal
carcinoma. Both smoking and smokeless tobacco act in synergy with each other.