WINNING THE WAR ON CANCER

Rising at an alarming rate, cancer is a major healthcare concern in India today. Top oncologists and domain experts share ways to deal with this menace

- NAGESH JOSHI

A major health concern and among the top five causes of death, the incidence of cancer has been on the rise in India. The number of Indians suffering from cancer is estimated to be 29.8 million in 2025 rising from 26.7 million in 2021, according to a report by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). The highest incidence last year was in the North (2,408 patients per 100,000) and the Northeast (2,177 per 100,000). The report notes that seven cancers account for more than 40 percent of the total disease burden. These include lung (10.6 percent), breast (10.5 percent), esophagus (5.8 percent), mouth (5.7 percent), stomach (5.2 percent), liver (4.6 percent), and cervix uterine (4.3 percent).

According to a study by FICCI and EY titled, 'Call for Action: Making quality cancer care more accessible and affordable in India', the reported cancer incidence in India in 2022 is estimated to be 19 to 20 lakh, whereas real incidence is likely to be 1.5 to 3 times higher than the reported cases. Painting a grim picture, Dr Wesley M Jose, Clinical Associate Professor, Medical Oncology, Amrita Hospital, Kochi, says that India's cancer burden has been steadily increasing with addition of an estimated 0.8 million new cancer cases every year. By 2040, nearly 2 million new cancer cases and more than 1 million deaths are projected.