Cancer cases in women marginally outnumbered those in men with 7,22,138, of them affected compared to 6,91,178 men.
Breast cancer was the leading cancer among women with as many as 1,92,020 new cases (26.6%), followed by 1,27,526 cervical cancer cases (17.7%).
Among men, oral cancer was the most-occurring with 1,07,812 new cases (15.6%) followed by lung cancer (58,970 new cases – 8.5%) and cancer of the oesophagus (45608- 6.6%).
Breast cancer was the leading cause of death (98,337 – 13.7%) followed by oral cancer (79,979 – 5.6%) and cervical cancer (79,906 – 11.2%) in the country in 2022.
Doctors and experts have underlined unhealthy lifestyle as the most common reason for cancer cases in the country.
The word cancer is common, but living with the disease is challenging and daunting. India is seeing the cases soar every year, with the latest research by a renowned hospital pointing to overall declining health of Indians.
The report by Apollo Hospitals revealed that 14 lakh people in India had cancer in 2020, and the number is expected to rise 15.7 lakh by 2025.
“Cancer cases and deaths are rising and are expected to rise further over the next two decades,” K Srinath Reddy, former president of the Public Health Foundation of India, told Deutsche Welle (DW) – a German news agency.
What are the most common types of cancer?
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells start growing uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. It can start anywhere and can disrupt the orderly process of cell division.
Breast, cervix and ovarian cancers are most common among women, while lung, mouth and prostrate are common among men.
Breast, oral and cervical cancer accounted for 32% of the new cases in India as per new estimates by the Global Cancer Observatory for 2022. Cancer cases in women marginally outnumbered those in men with 7,22,138, of them affected compared to 6,91,178 men.
Breast cancer was the leading cancer among women with as many as 1,92,020 new cases (26.6%), followed by 1,27,526 cervical cancer cases (17.7%). The third most frequent cancer among women was ovarian (6.6%) in 2022.
Among men, oral cancer was the most-occurring with 1,07,812 new cases (15.6%) followed by lung cancer (58,970 new cases – 8.5%) and cancer of the oesophagus (45608- 6.6%). Breast cancer was the leading cause of death (98,337 – 13.7%) followed by oral cancer (79,979 – 5.6%) and cervical cancer (79,906 – 11.2%) in the country in 2022.
What are the Reasons for High Incidence?
Doctors and experts have underlined unhealthy lifestyle as the most common reason for cancer cases in the country.
For breast cancer, late marriages and childbirth, limited breastfeeding practices, and other lifestyle choices are contributing factors. Genetic predisposition also plays a role, with BRCA gene mutations being more prevalent in certain sections of Indian populations, according to Dr Vedant Kabra, as quoted by India Today.
Smokeless tobacco, such as gutka and paan masala, is widely used and accounts for 90% of oral cancers in India.
Cervical cancer could happen due to persistent HPV infection, early sexual activity, multiple partners and a lack of vaccination against HPV contribute to the high incidence.
Lung cancer is mostly related to exposure to environmental pollutants and indoor air pollution from cooking fuels. It is estimated that an average person in the National Capital Region (NCR) inhales environmental pollution that is equivalent to smoking 15 to 20 cigarettes daily.
“India’s eating setting has changed significantly in recent years as a result of globalisation and urbanisation. Young Indians are consuming more and more processed foods, sweetened beverages, and high-fat meals as part of their Westernised diets. This change has led to a concering increase in diabetes and cardiovascular disorders among young people, as well as spike in obesity rates,” Dr Dinesh Singh, Chairman Radiation Oncology, Andromeda Cancer Hospital, Sonipat, as quoted by The Times of India.
“Cancer still poses a serious threat to the lives of young Indians, even with reduced incidence rates. A large number of young Indians can put off getting regular check-ups or medical attention until their symptoms get really bad,” Dr Singh added as quoted by The Times of India.
Cancer in Children
Apollo Hospitals’ report also mentioned about certain cancers affecting younger people sooner than in countries like the US and the UK. The median age for lung cancer is 59 in India, for instance, but 70 in the US, 75 in the UK and 68 in China.
Around a million new cases of cancer are diagnosed in India every year, of which about 4% are in children.
According to Ruchira Misra, pediatric oncologist and senior consultant at Mumbai’s MMR children’s hospital, only 41% of public hospitals have a dedicated department for children cancer patients.
How to Prevent Cancer
Although genetic mutations cannot be controlled, but certain lifestyle and environmental modifications can be made to reduce the risk of developing cancer.
Experts stress the importance of preventive healthcare measures, and encourage individuals to go for health screening. “There is no doubt that cancer is growing and there needs to be prioritized action by everyone. For instance, the government should incentivize screening as a first measure,” Nitesh Rohatgi, senior director of medical oncology at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, told DW.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a 30-40% cancer burden can be attributed to lifestyle risk factors such as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, a diet low in fruit and vegetables, overweight and obesity, and physical inactivity.
The WHO and American Institute of Cancer Research recommend dietary and nutritional changes to prevent cancer. These include healthy dietary patterns, physical activity, weight management — which may not help reduce the risk of cancer but contribute to the prevention of obesity and other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Reduced exposure to tobacco is another way to prevent the disease.
According to a study published in Nutrition Journal, protective elements in a cancer prevention diet include selenium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, chlorophyll, and antioxidants such as the carotenoids (a-carotene, ß-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin).
“The basic idea is to eat a reduced amount of food (about 70-80% of the amount required to maintain “normal” body weight) while still consuming all of the necessary amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients. The only restriction is the total amount of energy (calories) that is consumed. While being difficult to practice, this approach has a lot of scientific merit for being able to extend average life spans of many species of animals including rats, mice, fish, and possibly primates (currently being tested),” the journal said.
Boost immunity and stem cell growth by eating seafood and fatty fish, berries, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts. Sleep for more than seven hours, exercise regularly, and try intermittent fasting. Intake of foods such as greens, mangoes and Greek yoghurt that amplify DNA repair; improve your gut bacteria by eating grapes, black tea, pomegranate and fish oil, the journal said as mentioned by The Indian Express.
