India's cancer burden is heavy and it's set to get worse

Three in every five people in India succumb to cancer following diagnosis with women bearing a “disproportionate burden” compared to men, an analysis of global cancer data has estimated.

The incidence to mortality ratio in the US was found to be about one in four, while in China it was one in two, according to the results published in ‘The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia’ journal.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study found that India ranked third highest in cancer incidence, after China and the US, and accounted for over 10 per cent of the world’s cancer-related deaths, ranking second after China.

Researchers also projected that in the coming two decades, India will face a formidable challenge in managing deaths related to cancer incidence, with a yearly increase of two per cent in cases as the population ages.

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The team examined trends in 36 types of cancer across age groups and genders in India over the past 20 years, using the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) 2022 and Global Health Observatory (GHO) databases.

“Approximately three out of five individuals would be expected to succumb to mortality if diagnosed with cancer in India,” the authors wrote.

The findings also revealed that the five most common cancers affecting both genders collectively account for 44 per cent of cancer burden in India.

However, women in India were found to bear a “disproportionate burden”, as breast cancer continues to be the most prevalent cancer, contributing to 13.8 per cent of new cases from both genders, and cervical cancer the third most (9.2 per cent).

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Among women, breast cancer made up for nearly 30 per cent of new cases and over 24 per cent of related deaths, followed by cervical cancer, accounting for over 19 per cent of new cases and almost 20 per cent of deaths.

Among men, oral cancer was found to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer, contributing to 16 per cent new cases, followed by respiratory (8.6 per cent) and oesophagus (6.7 per cent) cancer.

The team also detected a shift in cancer prevalence across age groups, with the geriatric age group (aged 70 years and above) exhibiting the highest cancer burden.

Those in the reproductive age group (15-49 years) showed the second highest incidence and were related to a fifth of cancer-related deaths.

Further, the middle- and old-aged individuals have an 8-10 per cent higher chance of developing cancer with a 5.5-7.7 per cent chance of succumbing to it, the authors said.

The findings highlighted the urgency of targeted interventions and strategies to tackle the escalating cancer burden in India, with about 70 per cent of cases and deaths occurring in the middle- and older-age groups, the authors said.

The study is the “first comprehensive evaluation of the current and future landscape of cancer in India, focusing on different age groups and gender disparities.” The GLOBOCAN database provides estimates of cases, deaths and prevalence for 36 cancer types, including non-melanoma skin cancer, for 185 countries and territories worldwide.