Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : August 20, 2020 12:30 PM IST
Tobacco use was the main cause of oral cancer in men and of cervical cancer in women.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cancer accounted for an estimated 9.6 million deaths, or one in six deaths, in 2018. The most common types of cancer in men are lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer are the most common types among women. In a recent report, WHO warned that the world may witness a 60% increase in cancer cases over the next two decades if the current trend continues.
India is also predicted to witness a 12 per cent increase in cancer cases in the next five years. The National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, released by the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research on Tuesday, estimated that India will have 13.9 lakh cancer cases in 2020, which will increase to 15.7 lakh by 2025, based on current trends.
As per the report, these estimates are based on information related to cancer collected from 28 population-based Cancer Registries and 58 hospital-based Cancer Registries.
The report estimates that tobacco-related cancers will contribute 3.7 lakh (27.1 per cent) of the total cancer burden in 2020. Cancers related to use of any form of tobacco were highest in the northeastern region of the country and in higher proportion in men it said.
Earlier this year, a WHO report had also revealed a high burden of tobacco-related head and neck cancers in India, particularly oral cancer in men and of cervical cancer in women. Both of these cancer types are associated with lower socioeconomic status, the WHO report stated.
Tobacco use, including smokeless tobacco products, are linked to various types of cancer, including cancer of the lung, larynx (voice box), mouth, esophagus, throat, bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia.
According to the National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, cancer of lung, mouth, stomach and oesophagus were the most common among men, while cancer of breast and cervix uteri were the most common among women. It predicted that breast cancers will contribute 2 lakh (14.8 per cent) of the total cancer burden in India in 2020.
Cervix cancer in women is estimated to contribute 0.75 lakh (5.4 per cent), whereas cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (in both men and women) are estimated to contribute 2.7 lakh (19.7 per cent) of the total cancer burden.
While the report highlighted a significant increase in the incidence rates of breast cancers in women, and lung and head and neck cancers in both men and women, it said that there's a declining trend for cancer of the cervix.
According to the WHO, the greatest increase in new cancer cases--an estimated 81%-- will occur in low- and middle-income countries where survival rates are currently lowest. This is because these countries have limited health resources, which are being mostly used on combating infectious diseases and improving maternal and child health. In addition, health services in these countries are not well equipped to prevent, diagnose and treat cancers.
The health agency suggested a wide range of proven interventions to prevent new cancer cases. These include:
With inputs from IANS
