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New Delhi: Nearly three out of five people in India succumb following cancer diagnosis, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has claimed. The apex health research agency’s claim is based on an analysis of the estimates of incidence and mortality of cancer from GLOBOCAN 2022 – an online database that provides cancer statistics for 185 countries.
India is one of the largest contributors to global cancer burden, ranking third in terms of new incidences. China ranks one in cancer incidence followed by the US.
According to the ICMR study, published in the journal ‘The Lancet Regional – Southeast Asia’, the incident to mortality percentage in India stands at approximately 65, which means that three out of five individuals would be expected to die if diagnosed with cancer. The incident to mortality percentages in China and the US stand at 50 and 23 respectively, according to the study.
Children (0-14) and reproductive-age (15-49) individuals, ICMR says, have a 0.1per cent-2.3per cent chance of developing cancer and a 0.08per cent-1.3per cent chance of dying from it. However, the study adds, middle-aged and geriatric individuals have a higher 8.3per cent-10.3per cent chance of developing cancer with a 5.5per cent-7.6per cent chance of dying from the disease.
Women bear a “disproportionate burden” with higher crude incidence (104.5 per 1,00,000 population) and crude mortality rate (64.2 per 1,00,000) compared to men (91.5 per 1,00,000 and 62.2 per 1,00,000), according to the study, which also says that trend analysis for past mortality patterns indicate cancer mortality rates in India are on the rise for last two decades.
Future projections show that cancer incidence and mortality will continue to rise in the coming years, with mortality rates expected to increase from 64.7 to 109.6 between 2022 and 2050, it says.
ICMR warns India is poised to face formidable challenge in cancer control in coming years due to the transition of the current reproductive-age population (15-49 years) to middle-aged (50-69) and geriatric (70+) groups. It has called for proactive measures to enhance early detection, access to quality care, and public health initiatives.
Chairperson of Max Institute of Cancer Care, Dr Harit Chaturvedi, said fight against cancer must be multi-pronged. “We need to create awareness on avoiding unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyles that are linked to development of several non-communicable diseases, including cancers,” he said. He added that diagnostic facilities and treatment for cancer need to be made accessible and affordable for early detection and improved outcome.
Realising the challenge posed by the rising incidence and mortality caused by the disease, govt in the Union budget 2025-26 said it is planning to have daycare cancer centres in all 759 districts of the country where chemotherapy, essential medication and biopsy services will be made available. Top health ministry officials said these centres will also be utilised for screening high-risk individuals for common cancers.
