REPORT ON CANCER

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Context:

• A Report on Cancer was released by the American Cancer Society.

Findings:

• Deaths due to cancer have declined by 33% in the United States since 1991. This has translated into 3.8 million fewer deaths, the report said, and attributed the success to early detection, lower rates of smoking, and improvements in cancer treatment.
• This trend is yet to be reflected in India. Even with improvements in treatment, both the incidence of cancer and mortality continue to rise in the country.
• Better screening and treatment centres, and more comprehensive linkages between screening centres and hospitals are essential to reduce cancer mortality in the country.

Incidence of cancer and mortality in India currently:

• An estimated 14.6 lakh new cancer cases were detected in 2022, up from 14.2 lakh in 2021 and 13.9 lakh in 2020, as per data from the National Cancer Registry of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• Deaths due to cancer increased to an estimated 8.08 lakh in 2022 from 7.9 lakh in 2021 and 7.7 lakh in 2020. The incidence of all cancers is estimated to increase to 15.7 lakh by 2025, according to the data.

• One in nine Indians will develop cancer during their lifetime, according to an ICMR study using data from population-based cancer registries. One in 68 men will develop lung cancer and one in 29 women will develop breast cancer, according to the study.
• The incidence of cancer is higher among women — 103.6 per 100,000 in 2020 compared to 94.1 among men. Among men, the most common cancers were of the lung, mouth, prostate, tongue, and stomach; for women, they were breast, cervix, ovary, uterus, lung.

Wrapping it Up:

• India needs to prepare better. Cancer has overtaken cardiac issues as the leading cause of deaths in the US. In India, cardiac issues are still the leading cause but cancer is number 2.
• The cure rate for various cancers is rising. And we do see individuals who have completely beaten cancer. The cure rate for pancreatic cancer has doubled from 3% 50 years ago to 6%. For prostate cancer, it has gone up from 60% to 100%.
• And for breast cancer it has improved from 50% to 90% with newer treatments. But in order to reduce mortality, we have to ensure people get diagnosed early on and receive timely treatment.