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Health & Medicine
Mahesh

07/05/24 06:24 AM IST

Why are cancer cases soaring in India?

In News
  • The number of people suffering from cancer is expected to rise exponentially over the next two decades, health experts warn.
Cancer capital of World
  • In fact, a report released by the Indian multinational health care group, Apollo Hospitals, last month labeled the South Asian nation as “the cancer capital of the world.”
  • The study revealed an alarming picture of declining overall health across the country, pointing to soaring cases of cancer and other non-communicable diseases nationwide.
  • The report found that at present, one in three Indians is pre-diabetic, two in three are pre-hypertensive, and one in 10 struggles with depression.
  • Chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health disorders are now so prevalent that they have reached “critical levels,”.
  • The study projected the number of annual cancer cases to rise from almost 1.4 million in 2020 to 1.57 million by 2025.
  • Breast, cervix, and ovarian cancer are the most common forms of cancer affecting women.
  • And among men, they are lung cancer, mouth cancer, and prostate cancer.
  • Contributory factors to rising incidence are advancing age, unhealthy diets with ultra-processed foods stoking inflammation, exposure to air pollution laden with carcinogens and climate change with increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Children affected by cancer
  • The Apollo Hospitals report also details how certain cancers are 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.
  • Doctors and other health professionals say there is a shortage of pediatric oncology facilities in the country, particularly in government-run hospitals.
  • Most private hospitals have trained pediatric oncologists but this may not be the case in medical colleges or government hospitals.
  • Only 41% of public hospitals have dedicated pediatric oncology departments.
  • Additionally, a lack of funds and access to care, as well as social stigma, are big hurdles for many affected families.
  • Experts said low health screening rates in the country pose a significant challenge for the fight against cancer, and stressed the importance of preventive health care measures.
Way forward
  • 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.
  • There is also a need for policies to impart financial protection and expand the screening and curative services for cancer.
  • India has a screening program in place for oral, breast, and cervical cancer, but screening rates are less than 1%, according to national data, despite the WHO’s recommendation that at least 70% of women should get tested.
Source- Indian Express

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