A groundbreaking ICMR study has unveiled alarming cancer trends in India, showing elderly and middle-aged populations are most vulnerable. The research indicates that people aged 70 and above have the highest cancer development and mortality rates, with a 10% and 7.7% risk respectively. Middle-aged individuals also face significant challenges, with an 8.3% cancer development probability. The study underscores the urgent need for targeted healthcare interventions to address the mounting cancer burden in the country.
February 25, 2025
Elderly, middle-aged at high risk of developing and dying from cancer: ICMR study
"About
70 per cent of cancer cases and deaths occur in middle- and older-age
groups" - ICMR Researchers
Elderly,
middle-aged at high risk of developing and dying from cancer: ICMR study
Older
adults and middle-aged adults are more at risk of developing cancer, and dying
from the deadly disease in India, according to a study led by the Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Key Points
1 Elderly face over 10% cancer development risk
2 Middle-aged adults show 8.3% cancer incidence
3 India expects two percent yearly cancer case increase
4 Three in five diagnosed cancer patients likely to die
The study
published in 'The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal showed that the
elderly (aged 70 years and above) had the highest risk of developing cancer --
more than 10 per cent --, and dying from it -- 7.7 per cent.
The risk of
middle-aged (15-49 years) developing cancer is 8.3 per cent, while their odds
of dying from the disease is 5.5 per cent.
The
researchers emphasised the need to increase targeted interventions and
strategies "to tackle the escalating cancer burden in India, with about 70
per cent of cases and deaths occurring in the middle- and older-age
groups", the team said.
The ICMR
researchers also projected that in the coming two decades, India will face a
formidable challenge in managing deaths related to cancer incidence, with a
yearly increase of two per cent in cases as the population ages.
Using the
Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) 2022 and Global Health Observatory (GHO)
databases, the team examined trends in 36 types of cancer across age groups and
genders in India over the past 20 years.
Notably, it
showed that three in every five people in India are likely to succumb to cancer
following diagnosis.
The findings
also revealed that the five most common cancers affecting both genders
collectively account for 44 per cent of the cancer burden in India.
However,
women in India were found to bear a "disproportionate burden", as
breast cancer continues to be the most prevalent cancer. Breast cancer
contributes to 13.8 per cent of new cases from both genders followed by
cervical cancer (9.2 per cent).
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