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Cancer Cases Rising in India
Context:
A recent Lancet study highlights that while global cancer incidence and mortality rates are declining, India is witnessing an increase, making it a major public health challenge.
Trends in Cancer Incidence and Mortality
- India-specific data:
- Incidence rose from 84.8 per 100,000 in 1990 to 107.2 per 100,000 in 2023 (~15 lakh cases).
- Mortality rose from 71.7 per 100,000 in 1990 to 86.9 per 100,000 in 2023 (~12.1 lakh deaths).
- Global comparison:
- Global incidence decreased from 220.6 per 100,000 in 1990 to 205.1 in 2023.
- Global mortality reduced from 150.7 per 100,000 in 1990 to 114.6 in 2023.
- Future projections: Mortality in India may reduce marginally to 9 per 100,000 by 2025, but incidence will continue to rise due to ageing and growing population.
Key Risk Factors in India
- Modifiable factors(contributing to ~42% of deaths):
- Tobacco and alcohol consumption.
- Unhealthy diet and obesity.
- Poor control of hypertension and diabetes.
- High pollution levels.
- Non-modifiable factors:
- Ageing population.
- Genetic predisposition.
Health System Challenges
- Screening campaigns remain inadequate and irregular.
- Focus largely on late-stage diagnosis, not early detection.
- Limited coordination between stakeholders in cancer control programmes.
- High dependence on tertiary care with weak preventive infrastructure.
Impact on LMICs (Low- and Middle-Income Countries)
- Over half of cancer cases and two-thirds of cancer deaths occur in LMICs.
- Rising cases in India reflect broader vulnerabilities of lower-middle-income health systems.
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