The National Cancer Registry Program of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has come out with data which shows that cancer has become the biggest cause of death in India. According to the data, t here are around 1,300 deaths daily, and close to 5 lakh every year which shows an estimated 6 percent rise in cancer mortality rate from year 2012 to 2014.
Brain tumours account for 85% to 90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumours. And India contributes to a shocking 10 percent of the worldwide 3,00,000 cases.
Dr D Akolkar, director, Research and Innovation, at Datar Genetics mentions the objective behind the study. “Too many people are being faced with the devastating diagnosis each year – brain tumors kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer and five-year survival remains low at just 19.8%,” he said .
According to medical experts, the rise in mortality rate in cancer is due to a number of factors which include large number of ageing population, unhealthy lifestyles, use of tobacco and tobacco products, unhealthy diets, lack of diagnostic facilities.
The World Cancer Report by the World Health Organisation, (WHO) published in The Times of India in December 2013, stated that 7 lakh people died in the year 2012 due to cancer. And what is disturbing is that WHO has predicted the same death figures for the year 2015.
Addressing cancer threat is a matter of grave concern for the government. Unfortunately, Indian healthcare infrastructure still is ill-equipped to deal with the proper detection, treatment and prevention of cancer. Experts have warned that the number of cases may rise five-fold by 2025.