Cancer cases are rising in India and it may worsen further: Report

The number of cancer cases in India may increase to 15.7 lakh by 2025, according to the report. The total number of cancer cases in men may reach 7,63,575 in 2025 while in women cases may rise to 8,06,218 in next five years, the report warned.

Cancer cases are marginally higher among women, according to the report. 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).

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.

Tobacco-related cancer is estimated to contribute 3.7 lakh cases which is 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.

Multimodality treatment -- a varied combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy -- was administered for cancers of breast, and head and neck, while cancer of 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.