India to have 12% rise in cancer cases by 2025: Report

August 21, 2020 49 Views No Comment

DIMAPUR/New Delhi, AUG 20 (NPN/AGENCIES) : National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, released by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Informatics & Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru, has estimated a 12% rise in cancer cases in India in next five years. According to the report there will be about 13.9 lakhs cancer cases in 2020 which is likely to increase to 15.7 lakhs by 2025, based on current trends.

The estimates are based on information related to cancer collected from 28 Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs). Additionally, 58 Hospital Based Cancer Registries (HBCRs) provided cancer data.

In 2020, tobacco related cancers are estimated to contribute 3.7 lakhs (27.1%) of the total cancer burden. Among women, breast cancers are estimated to contribute 2.0 lakhs (14.8%) and cervix cancer are estimated to contribute 0.75 lakhs (5.4%), whereas for both men and women, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract is estimated to contribute 2.7 lakhs (19.7%) of the total cancer burden, according to the report.

As far as the distribution of cancer cases is concerned, the cancer incidence rate for male population ranges from 269.4 in Aizawl district (highest in India) to 39.5 in Osmanabad and Beed district per 1,00,000 population, according to the report. Similarly, the cancer incidence rate for women population ranges from 219.8 (Papumpare district) to 49.4 (Osmanabad & Beed district) per 100,000 population, the report said.

When the cases were looked at gender wise, the cancers related to use of any form of tobacco were highest in the North eastern region of the country and in higher proportions in men. Also, Cancer of lung, mouth, stomach and oesophagus were the most common cancers among men. When it came to disease burden in women, the Cancer of breast and cervix uteri were found to be the most common cancers.

“A significant increase in the incidence rates of breast cancers in women, and lung and head and neck cancers in both men and women was observed in most of the registries, however, a declining trend was seen in most of the registries for cancer of the cervix,” the report said. “Cancers of lung were diagnosed at a stage of spread to distant sites, while cancers of head and neck, stomach, breast and cervix were in higher proportions with loco-regional spread,” the report said. According to Chief Executive Officer of ICMR, Dr Ravi Mehrotra: “Emphasis to be given to making cancer a notifiable disease to enable increase coverage by registries and establishment of registries in areas hitherto uncovered regions to get a more comprehensive national picture.”

“This will help in better cancer screening, early detection, referral, treatment and palliative care services throughout the country. Sikkim was the only state to actually show a decrease in cancer prevalence for both genders, reflecting their good public health system and aware population,” he said adding people living in NE have more than double the chances of developing Cancer compared to other regions. He said this underlines the regions of the country which require focused attention.