Cancer cases in India estimated to be 13.9 lakh in 2020

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The number of cancer cases in India is estimated to be 13.9 lakh this year and may increase to 15.7 lakh by 2025, with its prevalence being marginally higher among women, according to a report. According to the report released by the ICMR and the Bengaluru-based National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, in India, the total number of cancer cases in men is estimated to be 6,79,421 in 2020 and may reach 7,63,575 in 2025.

Among women, the total number of incidence cases is estimated to be 7,12,758 in 2020 and likely to reach 8,06,218 in 2025. Breast cancer (2,38,908) is expected to be the most common site of cancer in 2025, followed by cancer in lung (1,11,328) and mouth (90,060).

Tobacco-related cancer is estimated to contribute 3.7 lakh cases which are 27.1 per cent of the total cancer burden in 2020 and highest in the North-eastern region of the country, followed by gastrointestinal tract cancers and breast cancer, the ICMR said in a statement.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said the estimates presented in the National Cancer Registry Programme Report, 2020, are based on information collected from 28 Population-Based Cancer Registries and 58 hospital-based cancer registries.

"Among women, breast cancer is estimated to contribute 2 lakh (14.8 per cent) and cervix cancer is estimated to contribute 0.75 lakh (5.4 per cent), whereas for both men and women, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract is estimated to contribute 2.7 lakhs (19.7 per cent) of the total cancer burden," it said.

Cancer incidence rate among males per 1,00,000 population ranges from 269.4 in Aizawl district, which is the highest in India, to 39.5 in Osmanabad and Beed districts.

As for females, the cancer incidence rate per 1,00,000 population ranges from 219.8 in Papumpare district to 49.4 in Osmanabad and Beed district, according to the report.

The incidence of cancer-related to use of any form of tobacco was the highest in the northeastern region of the country and in higher proportion in men. Cancer of lung, mouth, stomach and esophagus were the most common cancers among men, it highlighted.

Cancer of breast and cervix uteri were the most common cancers among women. Cancer of lung was 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, it said.

Multimodality treatment -- a varied combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy -- was administered for cancers of breast, and head and neck, while cancer of the cervix was treated mainly with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

For cancers of the lung and the stomach, systemic therapy was the mode of treatment, according to the report. 

(With agency inputs)