Among the cancer patients of the country, around 30 percent are suffering from head and neck cancer. Smoking, chewing tobacco leaves and taking alcohol cause high risk for mouth, vocal cord and lung cancer, specialists told a seminar in the city yesterday. ENT department of Medical College for Women and Hospital at Uttara organised the seminar as part of the observation of "ENT, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week'. Former president Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury was present in the seminar as the chief guest. National Professor MR Khan, Prof AM Mujibul Haque and Prof MA Khasru were present as the special guests with head of ENT department Prof M Alamgir Chowdhury in the chair. Prof Alamgir said smoking, use of tobacco leaves and drinking alcohol enhance the possibility of cancer in mouth, respiratory tract, tongue and vocal cord. Around 85 percent of such cancer is caused by smoking alone, he added. "Using tobacco leaves and alcohol together as more dangerous that smoking using tobacco leaves and drinking alcohol,' he added. Prof Badruddoza said most types of cancer are curable if diagnosed at the primary stage. Prof MR Khan said organising such seminar is very important to make people aware of the symptoms of cancer and media has to play a vital role in this regard. The seminar discussed issues related to symptoms, prevention and modern treatment of head and neck cancer. The physicians, students and patients of the medical college attended the seminar.