Which Cancers Are Indians More Prone To, and Why?

In India, certain cancers are more prevalent than others, because of various combinations of genetic factors, lifestyle habits, dietary patterns, environmental exposures, and healthcare access.

According to experts, many young Indians are getting impacted due to increasing cases of even those cancers that were earlier diagnosed mostly in older people. Doctors say lack of awareness, delayed diagnosis, and even societal stigmas around cancer play an important role in poor outcomes. A few cancers that are high in numbers across the country today are:

According to studies, breast cancer today is a significant health concern among women of all ages. It accounts for a large percentage of all female cancers, and while breast cancer is most common in women, a small percentage of men can also develop the disease.

Doctors say late marriages, fewer childbirths, absence of breastfeeding, and changes in dietary habits and lifestyles are some of the factors associated with its increased incidences. While mammography tests can identify breast cancer even before a breast lump is noticeable, many women do not undergo them. In cases of strong family history, apart from mammography, monthly self-breast examination is helpful in detecting early breast cancer lesions, resulting in high cure rates.

India is becoming the oral cancer capital of the world – mostly due to the rampant use of tobacco and alcohol. Smokeless tobacco, like gutka and paan masala, is widely used and accounts for 90 per cent of oral cancers. According to doctors, apart from poor oral hygiene, even bad dietary practices can further compound the problem.

The high prevalence of oral cancer requires the urgent need for comprehensive tobacco control measures, including stricter regulations on the sale of tobacco products and public awareness regarding it.

Lung cancer is also a significant health concern in India, with increasing rates attributed to factors like tobacco use and environmental pollution. Also being the leading cause of death, estimates show a sharp spike in the number of new cases every year.

According to data, lung cancer is the cause of 5.9 per cent of cancer cases and 8.1 per cent of cancer-related deaths in India. Nearly 80 per cent of patients with lung cancer use cigarettes. Doctors say while high-resolution CT scans are accessible and can be completed in just five minutes, high-risk patients are strongly encouraged to get scanned. Even a small lung nodule may be detected by the scans; an oncologist can then examine it for further analysis.

Cervical cancer is now the second most common cancer in Indian women after breast cancer. There are an estimated 127,526 new cases in 2023 and since then have only seen an upward tick. India also has the highest incidence of cervical cancer in Asia, with a substantial number of deaths attributed to the disease.

According to experts, cervical cancer is largely preventable through HPV vaccination, screening (like Pap smears or HPV tests), and treatment of precancerous lesions.