Recent analysis of data from 43 cancer registries around India revealed that the lifetime risk of developing cancer in India stood at 11%, with an estimated 15.6 lakh cancer cases and 8.74 lakh cancer deaths occurring in 2024. What is worrying is that the registries that these data have been collected from cover just 10%-18% of the population from 23 states and Union territories and only some key hospitals. The numbers would rise exponentially if the Indian population that is not covered by cancer registries is taken into account. As previous such reports have shown, women accounted for a higher proportion of the total cancer cases (51.1%) but a lower number of deaths (45%) because breast and cervical cancers, which together account for 40% of cases in women, are easier to detect early and have better survival outcomes. There has been an increase in the incidence of oral cancer in the country despite a corresponding decline in tobacco consumption, underlining the long-term harm that smoking or chewing tobacco can cause. The recently raised taxation on all tobacco products is expected to have a positive impact on the incidence of oral cancer. Data also showed that the Northeast has a higher burden of cancer cases than the rest of the country because of certain problematic dietary habits. Awareness about these — without the intervention being intrusive — is needed to bring down the Northeast’s cancer burden.

According to the World Health Organization, up to 50% of cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors and implementing evidence-based prevention strategies. This load can be further reduced through early detection of cancer and appropriate treatment and care of patients. This is perhaps the biggest challenge in India. India’s cancer registries are still woefully inadequate to map the complex dimensions of the ailment. Linking these registries to primary and secondary healthcare facilities could have offered a solution but fewer than 1,000 of such facilities have, at least on paper, the wherewithal to provide cancer care. Further, the doctor-physician ratio — one oncologist for 2,000 patients — is poor and this disease also takes a toll on finances. One study estimated that, on average, the cost of cancer treatment in India is around
Rs 61,216 per hospitalisation session, leading to high out-of-pocket expenditure and penury. Moreover, only 4% of Indians have access to palliative care. Collating these challenges and suggesting potential resolutions could begin with reliable data. For that, India’s cancer registries need to widen and improve.