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In our last blog post, we explored the facts & statistics about cancer in India. Although detailed registry and reports are far and few in between, the general trends of cancer in India is getting clearer and clearer.

Recently, we undertook a study based on enquiries received at Cancer Helpline to understand the cancer incidences across India. Our study involved analysis of 3031 enquiries, of which 87% were confirmed cancer patients, 7% were cancer suspects and 6% comprised general enquiries about cancer.

Here is a quick snapshot of our report.

Geographical Distribution of Cancer

The cancer patient population across geographic regions appears evenly distributed and correlates to the region’s population size.

Distribution of Cancer Types

The most prominent cancer categories among Indians are Head & Neck Cancers, Gastro-Intestinal Cancer, Breast Cancer, Blood Cancer and Lung Cancer. These cancers are also the ones where genetic testing is most essential during the treatment process.

Apart from the prominent incidences, we also found some incidences of rare cancers such as Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, NUT midline carcinoma, Synovial sarcoma, Glomus tumour and Leiomyosarcoma, although they accounted for ~0.4% of the cancer population.

Spread Of Cancer, Divided By Gender

Incidence of cancer is nearly the same for both genders. Male cancers account for 52% of cancers while female cancers account for 48%. Child & adolescent cancers form about 4.5% of the total cancers. Among women, breast cancer, gynaecological cancers, gastro-intestinal cancer and blood cancers account for the highest incidence, while it was head & neck cancer, blood cancer and liver & lung cancer for men. Blood cancer, bone cancer and brain cancer were most common among children.