BENGALURU: Among 29 different types of cancer, the highest incidence found was of breast cancer, as per data shared by Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation (SSCF) in Bengaluru, for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021. Data sourced by TNIE, in light of World Cancer Day on February 4, shows that of 23,328 cancer patients, including adults and children who sought treatment in these three years here, 3,810 patients suffered from breast cancer. “Incidence of breast cancer is increasing in India.
Earlier, we thought it was purely an urban problem but now it is present in rural areas too. Women as young as 20 to 22 years are also presenting with the disease. One of the many causes could be genetic configuration,” said Dr BS Srinath, head of SSCF, a not-for-profit that provides cancer treatment, particularly for the poor.
The age breakup showed more cases among adults (22,780) than in children (548) and gender-wise breakup showed more cases among males (12,576) than females (10,752). Dr BS Srinath said various causes of rising cancer cases in the country overall could be attributed to tobacco, alcohol, red meat, pollution, pesticide-based foods, poor personal hygiene, having too many children, risk of HPV (human papilloma virus) infection if one has too many sexual partners, including someone with HPV, etc.
The last two factors are linked to cervical cancer. The Foundation, which runs Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SSCHRC), also reported 1,305 deaths by cancer across three years. “Most number of deaths by cancer have been observed in those with lung cancer. There is an alarmingly high growth in cancers the world over.
There were nearly 1.4 million new cancer cases in India in 2020. Though the incidence of cancer recorded in developed countries is higher than developing countries such as India, the mortality rate due to cancer is significantly higher in India,” he added. The Foundation has seen that cancer occurs at a much younger age in India, compared to other developed countries. According to them, this is primarily because of lack of awareness, due to which patients consult doctors at a late stage, besides a lack of comprehensive cancer screening programmes in the country.
