Body odor is natural part of human physiognomy, while some people may experience less of it, it can be stronger in others. This odor is not uniform throughout your body, certain body part smell more, like your armpits, groin and feet. The Cleveland clinic explains that this smell is due to bacteria and smell on your skin. Your body odor can also change if you are on medication, or ate a certain food or even experience some hormonal changes.

Similarly, It's common for belly buttons to have a slight odor, but sometimes it can become noticeable and unpleasant. While a little smell is often nothing to worry about, a strong, foul odor, especially when combined with other symptoms, could be a sign of a more serious problem. It's important to understand the possible causes of a smelly belly button so you can take the right steps to address it. Knowing when to simply clean it better versus when to seek medical help is key to keeping yourself healthy.

Possible Causes of Belly Button Odor

If your belly button smells bad and you also have redness, swelling, pain, or bleeding, you should see a doctor. These symptoms could be a sign of an infection that needs medical treatment Here are some reasons why this may be happening.

Not Cleaning It Well

Just like any other part of your body, your belly button needs regular cleaning. If you skip cleaning it with soap and water, things like dirt, sweat, and natural oils can build up inside. As explained above, his buildup creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to a musty or unpleasant smell. This is especially true if you have a deep belly button, as it has folds and crevices that are harder to reach and clean properly. A deep belly button is a warm, damp place, which is exactly what bacteria love.

Stuff Getting Stuck

Even if you take regular showers, your belly button can still collect things like dead skin cells, lint from your clothes, and other small pieces of debris. WebMD explains that these things can get trapped inside, and when mixed with moisture from sweat or water, they can start to smell bad. Sometimes, these things can clump together and form a hard, smelly lump called a navel stone. This stone can be quite smelly, even though it's usually not painful.

Bacterial Infections

We all have bacteria on our skin, but sometimes they can cause infections. According to WebMD if bacteria get inside your belly button, especially through a small cut or scratch, they can multiply and cause an infection. Infections like impetigo and cellulitis can cause redness, swelling, pain, and pus, along with a bad smell. People with weak immune systems or poor blood flow are more likely to get these infections. If these infections are not treated, they can lead to serious problems, so it's important to see a doctor.

Yeast Infections

Yeast, which is a type of fungus, can also grow in your belly button, especially if it's warm and moist. According to the Cleveland Clinic a common type of yeast is Candida. Yeast infections can cause a sour, bread-like smell, along with redness and itching. Sweating a lot, wearing tight clothes, or taking antibiotics can increase your risk. People with diabetes or weak immune systems are also more likely to get yeast infections. These infections usually go away with antifungal creams, but it's important to keep the area dry to prevent them from coming back.

Cysts

Cysts are small, fluid-filled bumps that can form under the skin. They can happen when dead skin cells and oils get trapped in your belly button. Most of the time, these cysts are harmless and don't cause any problems. But sometimes, they can become infected, which can cause them to swell, become red, and release a gray or white discharge with a cheesy smell. If a cyst gets infected, it might need to be drained by a doctor.

Piercings

If you have a belly button piercing, it's very important to keep it clean. If you don't clean it properly, bacteria can build up around the piercing and cause an infection. Signs of an infection include pain, redness, swelling, and smelly pus. If the infection is not treated, it can spread to your bloodstream and cause serious health problems. Cleaning your piercing regularly with warm, soapy water can help prevent infections.

India is facing a significant and growing cancer burden, with the latest National Cancer Registry Programme study estimating that the lifetime risk of developing cancer in the country is 11% — about one in nine people.

The 2025 study also found that India ranks second in Asia and third globally in cancer incidence.

SC Directs States To Notify Cancer

Around 17 states in India have already made cancer a notifiable disease, while the Supreme Court in August directed the remaining 19 states and Union Territories to comply with the requirement, aimed at enabling early detection and proper care of patients.

The petition before the court argued that the continued non-notification of cancer, despite its alarming and escalating burden in India, amounted to a grave abdication of the state's constitutional duty under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. It said this denied uniform treatment to similarly situated citizens and undermined their fundamental right to health and a life of dignity.

The Supreme Court's order is legally binding on the remaining 19 states and Union Territories, which have until November 11, 2026, to comply with the directive.

By the deadline, the concerned administrations are required to transition cancer into a notifiable disease and formally submit their progress reports to the Supreme Court. States will also need to issue official Gazette notifications requiring public and private healthcare entities to report cancer cases and related data.

Why Cancer Notification Matters

Speaking to HealthandMe, experts said making cancer notifiable could strengthen cancer surveillance, improve data collection and support research and treatment planning.

Dr Karishma Kirti, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, said cancer should be treated as a notifiable disease, but through a system different from the traditional notification process used for infectious diseases.

How Cancer Registration Can Help

Dr Kirti told HealthandMe that mandatory registration of cancer cases could help India understand cancer trends and generate more real-world data to guide research.

“Mandatory registration of cancer cases will in the future help in understanding trends, generating real-world data early, and guiding research. Most of the evidence-based medicine and treatment that we recommend comes from Western data and mandating cancer registration will help India generate its own data and understand the inherent characteristics of Indian cancers better.”

Notifying Cancer Could Strengthen Cancer Care

Dr Harit K Chaturvedi, CEO & Clinical Head, Apollo Oncology Network, said making cancer a notifiable disease could help improve cancer care and research as the country's cancer burden rises.

“No two cancers are the same and the disease cannot be fought in silos. As the burden of cancer cases is increasing, wherein India is projected to record 1.5 million cases in 2026, declaring cancer as a notifiable disease can enable better cancer care and research across India,” he told HealthandMe.

Chaturvedi said notification of cancer would also give impetus to the decades-old National Cancer Registry Program and enable proper and mandatory record-keeping of cancer cases, as seen in many developed nations.

“By making cancer a notifiable disease, we can ensure that all cancer cases are reported and documented accurately, enabling us to track cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates.”

Importantly, he said, notification would also enable policymakers, healthcare providers and researchers to work with real-time data, which could help bring more awareness, strengthen prevention and early detection, and improve treatment outcomes and quality of life.

Recurring abdominal pain is often dismissed as acidity or indigestion. This becomes a matter of concern when persistent pain reaches the back and causes vomiting and weight loss. These are symptoms of a more serious disease such as chronic pancreatitis.

A recent case highlights the importance of recognizing the condition early. A 35-year-old mother of two had been living with severe upper abdominal pain for nearly three years. She experienced episodes that required hospital admission. Upon detailed investigations, it was confirmed to be a case of chronic idiopathic calcific pancreatitis. Long-standing inflammation had caused stones to develop within the pancreatic duct, which blocked the normal flow of digestive juices and triggered repeated attacks of pain. The underlying problem remained unresolved. To the patient, the mental toll of being a daily-wage worker came with loss of income and disruption to family life.

Chronic pancreatitis is when repeated inflammation causes permanent damage to the pancreas. Gradually, the gland becomes scarred, the pancreatic duct narrows, and stones develop. Pressure within the pancreas increases, thereby causing recurrent abdominal pain. As the disease advances, patients may also develop difficulty digesting food, unintended weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and diabetes due to loss of pancreatic function. There exist multiple causes of chronic pancreatitis such as alcohol, gallstones, smoking, genetic disorders, autoimmune diseases and certain metabolic conditions. In a proportion of patients, no definite cause can be identified despite extensive evaluation.

Diagnosis is made on clinical grounds and imaging modalities such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI, which are helpful in identifying changes in the pancreas and detecting ductal stones. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent further complications and long-term outcomes. Treatment is modified according to the severity of the illness and the patient's signs and symptoms. Initial management is done in the form of dietary modifications, enzyme supplementation, and avoidance of substances such as alcohol and tobacco. However, when pain persists despite medical treatment, surgery may be required to relieve the obstruction and restore pancreatic drainage. This also occurs when stones obstruct the pancreatic duct,

In this patient's case, the severity of the case warranted surgery in order to ensure the best chance of lasting relief. Prior to the surgery, the patient consulted multiple hospitals before treatment. She underwent a minimally invasive robotic-assisted procedure to remove the pancreatic duct stones and create a new drainage pathway for pancreatic secretions. She had been advised open surgery but delayed it because she feared the large incision and long recovery; before this, she was admitted every 2-3 months for severe pain. The surgery was performed through small incisions with reduced tissue trauma as compared to conventional open surgery. The recovery was unsuccessful, and the patient was discharged with pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

Three months later, she was free from the disabling pain that had dominated her life. She had returned to work and was able to resume her daily routine.

Available treatment options have increased due to minimally invasive and robotic techniques for selected patients, but they may not be suitable for everyone. The choice of treatment is dependent on multiple factors such as the stage of the disease, the anatomy of the pancreas, and the patient's overall condition.

The more important message, however, extends beyond surgery. Persistent pain should never be ignored or considered a common passing occurrence; neither should it be repeatedly treated with painkillers without identifying the cause.

Earlier diagnosis and timely referral can be encouraged by raising awareness amongst the general public to prevent recurring hospital visits. Awareness can make the difference between years of repeated hospitalizations and a return to a healthier, more productive life.

(Dr. Sreedhara V., Surgical Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru)

Liver cancer rarely announces itself. It creeps in without warning, and by the time symptoms surface, the disease has often progressed to a stage where treatment options shrink, and outcomes worsen. That's why doctors have long called it a "silent killer."

In India, the threat is growing. Rising rates of hepatitis infection, fatty liver disease, and lifestyle-driven risk factors are pushing the numbers up.

Data from the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) shows more than 40,000 new liver cancer cases reported in India, a figure that underscores a mounting public health challenge. The disease also carries a high mortality rate, largely because most cases surface only once treatment options have narrowed.

This fits into a much larger global picture: WHO's newly released Global Status Report on Cancer 2026 warns that annual cancer cases worldwide could climb from 20.6 million today to nearly 35 million by 2050 without urgent intervention, with infections like hepatitis B and C among the preventable risk factors driving a significant share of the burden.

Why Does Liver Cancer Stay Hidden?

The liver is a workhorse organ, filtering toxins, storing nutrients, and keeping the body running, and it can keep functioning almost normally even after cancer takes hold. That resilience is precisely what makes early detection so difficult. When symptoms do appear, they're vague enough to be mistaken for something else entirely:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent fatigue and weakness
• Upper abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes
• Abdominal swelling

Because these signs surface late, patients often delay seeking care, which is exactly why regular health checkups matter most for high-risk groups, including people with chronic liver disease, hepatitis infection, or fatty liver.

What's Driving the Risk?

Liver cancer doesn't appear overnight; it's the result of years of accumulated damage. Key contributors include:

• Chronic Hepatitis B and C infections, among the leading causes worldwide
• Liver cirrhosis, where scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue
• Fatty liver disease, increasingly common in India amid rising obesity and diabetes
• Excessive alcohol consumption, which steadily damages liver cells
• Family history of liver disease or cancer
• Exposure to toxins through contaminated food
• Smoking, which raises overall cancer risk

India's shifting disease landscape, sedentary routines, poor dietary habits, and metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes, means liver cancer is no longer just an infectious-disease concern. It's increasingly a lifestyle disease too.

Can It Be Prevented?

The good news: much of this risk is manageable.

• Get vaccinated against Hepatitis B to block the long-term viral infection that often leads to cirrhosis
• Maintain a healthy weight through diet and regular activity, as obesity is closely tied to fatty liver disease
• Manage diabetes and metabolic health, since insulin resistance accelerates liver damage
• Limit or avoid alcohol, a leading cause of cirrhosis
• Avoid tobacco, which compounds cancer risk
• Stay on top of routine screening if you're at risk; this is one of the most critical preventive steps and includes:
  • Liver function tests (LFTs) to catch early signs of inflammation or damage
  • Ultrasound scans every 6 months for those with cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B or C, or advanced fatty liver disease
  • Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) blood tests, used alongside imaging to flag early tumour changes
  • Advanced imaging (CT or MRI) for more detailed evaluation in high-risk cases

Paired with lifestyle changes and timely medical care, these steps can meaningfully lower the risk of developing liver cancer and support long-term liver health.

Know When to Seek Medical Help

Because liver cancer tends to progress silently, early detection is everything when it comes to improving outcomes. Doctors typically rely on a combination of diagnostic tools, ultrasound scans, AFP blood tests, CT or MRI imaging, and in some cases a liver biopsy, to catch the disease at a more treatable stage.

When caught early, treatment can significantly improve survival odds. The right approach depends on the stage of disease, liver function, and the patient's overall health:

• Liver resection, surgically removing only the cancerous portion of the liver, when the disease is localized
• Liver transplant, replacing the entire diseased liver with a healthy donor liver, in select cases
• Ablation, using radiofrequency or microwave energy to destroy cancer cells with heat
• Targeted therapy, drugs designed to attack specific cancer cells while sparing healthy ones
• Immunotherapy, strengthening the body's own immune system to identify and fight cancer cells

Liver cancer is serious and life-threatening, but early diagnosis through screening, paired with timely medical intervention, can meaningfully improve treatment success and survival rates.

(By Dr. Kundan, Consultant - Surgical Oncology, Manipal Hospital, Ghaziabad_