GUWAHATI: A recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), published in The Lancet, has revealed that nearly 60% of cancer patients in India do not survive the disease. The report highlights a significant rise in cancer cases over the past decade, with a higher incidence among women compared to men. Experts predict this trend will continue over the next two decades, based on data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) 2022.
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India ranks third globally in cancer incidence, following the United States and China, and is second in cancer-related deaths after China. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, India recorded 1.41 million new cancer cases and 916,827 deaths in a single year. While breast cancer remains the most prevalent among women, lung cancer accounts for the highest number of deaths across both genders.
Despite India's large population giving an impression of lower cancer rates, the study warns that as the younger population ages, the country will face an increasing cancer burden. The risk is notably higher in older adults, while children and individuals of reproductive age are at the lowest risk.
The study found that between 2012 and 2022, cancer cases in India surged by 36%, rising from 1.01 million to 1.38 million. Similarly, cancer-related deaths increased by 30.3% during the same period. Alarmingly, cancer mortality rates have been increasing at a faster pace among women (1.2%–4.4% per year) compared to men (1.2%–2.4% per year). Experts predict that by 2050, mortality rates could rise by up to 109.6%.
With nearly 70% of cancer cases and deaths occurring in middle-aged and elderly individuals, India faces a growing public health challenge. The researchers emphasise the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies to combat the rising cancer crisis and improve survival rates in the coming years.
