It occurs on the lower abdomen and inner thighs and is due to the use of a Kanger, a ceramic pot covered with wicker-work, carried as a source of warmth during cold weather.
Most cases (80%) of squamous cell carcinoma attributed to ultraviolet radiation present in areas of the skin that are usually more exposed to sunlight (e.g., head, face, neck).
[5][6] Over time, the use of kangri pots to keep warm results in erythema ab igne, a precancerous keratotic growth that "take the shape of superficial, serpiginous, reticular blackish brown colored lesions.
The pot holds hot wood and charcoal and is put in direct contact with the skin of the abdomen and the thigh areas as a way to keep warm during winter in northern India.
[6] Elements that are believed to contribute to the development of kangri cancer are heat, burning wood particles, smoke, soot, and tar of burnt chinar leaves.
The researchers suggest that external beam radiotherapy should be part of the treatment course for patients who have or at risk of developing tumors in the head and neck areas.