According to an IANS report, doctors in Bihar and Maharashtra have warned that tying the saree tightly can cause skin cancer. Doctors from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Wardha and Madhubani Medical College and Hospital in Bihar have treated two women suffering from this type of cancer.

They warned that the tightly tied waist cord of the underskirt (petticoat) traditionally worn beneath the saree could cause constant friction, leading to chronic inflammation, leading to skin ulcers and, in some cases, Skin cancer can also occur. It was previously described as “sari cancer”, but it is attributed to the tightness of the waist cord. Doctors also cited a study published in BMJ Case Reports on what is now known as ‘petticoat cancer’.

Talking about the cases, the first case was a 70-year-old woman who needed medical attention due to a painful skin ulcer on her right flank, which had been present for 18 months and was not healing. The skin in the surrounding area had lost its color. She wore her petticoat under her Nauvari saree which was tied tightly around her waist. Following her complaints and symptoms, doctors performed a biopsy, which revealed that the woman had Marjolin’s ulcer, also known as squamous cell carcinoma.

Another woman in her late 60s consulted doctors for an ulcer on her right flank that would not heal for two years. The woman has been wearing the traditional ‘Lugada’ saree, which is tied very tightly around the waist, without an underskirt, daily for 40 years. The biopsy sample revealed that he also had Marjolin’s ulcer. The cancer had already spread to one of the lymph nodes in her groin.

Doctors said that although Marjolin ulcer is rare, it can be aggressive. It develops in old burn wounds, non-healing wounds, leg ulcers, tuberculous skin lumps, and scars from vaccinations and snake bites.

“Continuous pressure on the groin often causes cutaneous atrophy, which eventually breaks down and forms erosions or ulcers,” the authors said. The ulcer at this place does not heal completely due to the constant pressure of tight clothes. A long-term non-healing wound results, in which malignant transformation may develop.”

Doctors recommend wearing a loose petticoat under the saree to reduce pressure on the skin, and loose clothing to allow the area to heal if skin problems develop.

70-year-old man diagnosed sari cancer Said, “I hope that my story will raise awareness among women about the potential health risks associated with traditional clothing practices and encourage timely medical consultation for abnormal skin conditions.”

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