India, once known for its rich culture and diversity, is today facing a worrying health crisis. Data from a new study shows that India is rapidly moving towards becoming the 'cancer capital of the world'. The cases of various types of cancer are continuously increasing and this increase is happening at an alarming rate.
The report released by Indian multi-national healthcare group Apollo Hospitals has found that the rapidly increasing cases of cancer and other non-communicable diseases (non-communicable diseases) across the country has now made it the 'cancer capital of the world'. The authors say that this report is an attempt to highlight the silent epidemic on which every Indian needs to take action on priority.
10 lakh cases every year
Let us tell you that more than one million new cases are reported every year in India, but the cancer rate is still not higher than countries like Denmark, Ireland, and Belgium, which have the highest cancer rates in the world. At present it is less than in America, where there are 300 cases per 100,000 people, whereas in India this figure is 100.
Changes in epidemiology
Some experts have called it an 'epidemiological transition', due to which this situation may change soon. A new report has found that currently one in three people in India is pre-diabetic, two in three are suffering from pre-hypertension and one in ten is suffering from depression. According to the report, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and chronic brain-related diseases have now become so widespread that they have reached 'serious levels'.
Cancer cases are increasing rapidly
The number of cancer cases is expected to increase faster than the global average, from 13.9 lakh in 2020 to 15.7 lakh by 2025. The most common forms of cancer in women are breast cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer. At the same time, lung cancer, mouth cancer, and prostate cancer are more common in men.
Higher risk of cancer in men
According to a study published in Lancet Oncology, globally men are generally diagnosed with 25% more cancer than women, but India is different from this trend, here cancer is being diagnosed more in women. Moreover, some cancers are affecting youth earlier in India than in the US, UK, and China. According to the new report, the average age for lung cancer in India is 59, while it is 70 in the US, 68 in China, and 75 in the UK.
Cause of cancer growth
The rising incidence of cancer is due to a combination of environmental and socio-economic factors, such as high levels of pollution, as well as lifestyle and dietary habits. About 40% of cancer cases in India are due to excessive use of tobacco, which significantly increases the risk of lung, mouth, and throat cancer, while poor diet and lack of physical activity cause 10% of the cases.
Problems of obesity and high BP are also more
It also warns of a healthcare crisis across the country due to increases in obesity rates (from 9% in 2016 to 20% in 2023) and high blood pressure (from 9% in 2016 to 13% in 2023). Additionally, pre-diabetes, prehypertension, and mental health disorders are increasingly manifesting at younger ages, while the risk of obstructive sleep apnea has reached higher proportions among Indians.
(PC: Freepik)
