Hyderabad: 12% rise likely in cancer cases in country by 2025

Somajiguda: ICMR-NCDIR National Cancer Registry Program estimates 12% increase in cancer cases in the country by 2025.

As per the National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, released by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Informatics & Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru, estimates that in 2020 cancer cases in the country will be at 13.9 lakh and likely to increase to 15.7 lakhs by 2025, based on current trends.

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, cancer specialists requested everyone to make a pledge to join in the global fight against cancer – it is only when every person, organisation, and government dotheir part that the world will be able to reduce premature deaths from this devastating disease.

India has the second largest number of tobacco users (268 million or 28.6% of all adults in India) in the world – of these at least 12 lakh die every year from tobacco related diseases. In 2020, tobacco related cancers are estimated to contribute 3.7 lakhs (27.1%) of the total cancer burden.

Among women, breast cancers are estimated to contribute 2.0 lakhs (14.8%) and cervix cancer are estimated to contribute 0.75 lakhs (5.4%), whereas for both men and women, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract is estimated to contribute 2.7 lakhs (19.7%) of the total cancer burden.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) India 2009-10 released by MoHFW conveys that 17.8% of adults (15 years and above) in Telangana use tobacco in some form or other. 8.3% are cigarette smokers, 4.2% are bidi smokers and 5.2% are smokeless tobacco users.

"Considering the tobacco burden on health and economy in our country, there is an urgent need for the amendments in the tobacco control act COTPA amendments bill 2020 in the interest of public health and India's future and its youth.

The amendments would effectively protect India's population from the harmful effects of tobacco use", said Dr Vijay Kumar Chennamchetty, a Senior Consultant Interventional Pulmonologist, Apollo Health City.

"It is truly depressing to see ever increasing number of young cancer victims in corridors of cancer centers in India, We request the Government to amend the tobacco control act in larger interest of younger generation who is falling prey to this tobacco menace and suffer premature death" and also putting others at risk through "passive smoking effect" said Dr K Sreekanth, a Senior Consultant Surgical Oncologist at Yashoda Hospitals, Somajiguda.