India continues to grapple with the absence of information about cancer and inaccurate data regarding the number of individuals affected by this condition. Therefore, oncologists are strongly advocating for the government to designate cancer as a notifiable disease, emphasising the importance of maintaining accurate records.
India’s current population-based cancer registry suffers from limited coverage and an urban bias due to inadequate awareness among rural communities, lack of follow-up, and insufficient survival data. According to the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN), India ranked third globally in terms of new cancer cases in 2020, behind China and the United States. GLOBOCAN predicts a staggering 57.5% rise in cancer cases in India by 2040, amounting to an increase of 2.08 million cases.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, oncologists Justin Gainor (director of the Centre for Thoracic Cancers at Massachusetts General Hospital), and M.V.T. Krishna Mohan (senior consultant in Medical Oncology at Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Centre), shed light on the growing burden of lung cancers in India and around the world.
Urban bias in data
Dr.Krishna Mohan emphasised the steady increase in lung cancer incidence in India, particularly among men. He explained that inaccurate data often stems from patients providing reference addresses rather than their original addresses, skewing the reported statistics. He cited a recent report from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) that erroneously stated a breast cancer prevalence of 1 in 20 women in Hyderabad, highlighting the need for improved data accuracy.
India is the second largest consumer and third largest producer of tobacco in the world. There is an alarming rise in the incidence of lung cancers seen in non-smokers too, the doctor added.
Dr.Gainor emphasised the significant advancements have been made in understanding the disease over the past decade. He said, precision medicine and immunotherapy are two available treatment options for lung cancer. Precision medicine involves personalised therapy, providing patients with rapid-acting drugs that significantly improve their quality of life, although a definitive cure remains elusive. In cases where tumors evolve and new drugs are required, laboratories collaborate with doctors to identify suitable treatments. For patients without specific mutations, immunotherapy offers promising results, with 10-20% of individuals experiencing prolonged survival rates despite internal disease.
With the success of current treatment options, oncologists are now administering medicines initially given to stage four patients to those in earlier stages (1, 2, or 3). However, lung cancer screening rates remain alarmingly low. Survival rates have also improved over the past decade, with around 20% of stage 3 and 4 lung cancer patients now surviving beyond five years, thanks to advancements in immunotherapy. When effective, these treatments yield remarkable results and significantly extend patients’ lives.