There will be 12 percent increase in cancer cases across the country in five years as per 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 August 18.

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According to the report, India will have 13.9 lakh cancer cases in 2020, which will increase to 15.7 lakh by 2025, based on current trends. These estimates are based on information related to cancer collected from 28 population-based Cancer Registries and 58 hospital-based Cancer Registries. These results then facilitate efforts to strengthen cancer prevention and control throughout the country.

In 2020, tobacco-related cancers are estimated to contribute 3.7 lakh (27.1 percent) of the total cancer burden. Among women, breast cancers are estimated to contribute 2 lakh (14.8 percent) and cervix cancer are estimated to contribute 0.75 lakh (5.4 percent), whereas for both men and women, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract is estimated to contribute 2.7 lakh (19.7 percent) of the total cancer burden.

Cancers related to use of any form of tobacco were highest in the northeastern region of the country and in higher proportion in men. While cancer of lung, mouth, stomach and oesophagus were the most common among men, cancer of breast and cervix uteri were the most common among women. A significant increase in the incidence rates of breast cancers in women, and lung and head and neck cancers in both men and women was observed in most of the registries, but a declining trend was seen in most of the registries for cancer of the cervix.

Lung cancer was diagnosed at a stage of spread to distant sites, while cancers of head and neck, stomach, breast and cervix were in higher proportions with locoregional spread. Multimodality treatment, a varied combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, was administered for cancers of breast and head and neck, while cancer cervix was treated mainly with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. For cancers of the lung and the stomach, systemic therapy was the mode of treatment.