India sees sharp increase in cancer deaths, 4 in 10 cases linked to lifestyle risks
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Cancer deaths worldwide rose to 10.4 million in 2023, while new cases climbed to 18.5 million — an alarming increase of 74% and 105% respectively since 1990.
A new analysis published in The Lancet has found that at least 42% of these deaths were linked to preventable risk factors such as smoking, poor diet, and high blood sugar.
The Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaborators, who conducted the study, predict that by 2050, annual cancer deaths could reach 18.6 million — a 75% jump from current figures — and new diagnoses could soar to 30.5 million.
India recorded an estimated 5.43 million cancer cases in 2023. Age-adjusted incidence rose from 84.8 per lakh in 1990 to 107.2 per lakh in 2023, while mortality rates climbed by over 21% in the same period.
The cancers contributing most to mortality and illness in India include breast, lung, oesophagus, oral, cervical, stomach, and colon cancers. Cancer registries currently cover only a fraction of the population, but available data suggest that breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers are the most common among women, while oral, lung, and oesophageal cancers dominate among men.
Globally, men were more affected by lifestyle-linked risks (46% of cancer deaths) compared with women (36%). Tobacco use, unhealthy diets, alcohol, occupational exposures, and air pollution were the main factors for men, while women were more affected by tobacco, unsafe sex, poor diet, obesity, and high blood sugar.
In India, the major risk factors are poor diet, alcohol use, air pollution, and obesity. Strengthening prevention efforts, improving awareness, promoting early detection, and making treatment more accessible and affordable are considered essential to reversing the trend.
The study notes that most of the projected rise in cancer cases will occur in low- and middle-income countries, driven largely by population growth and ageing. The global trend indicates that while cancer treatment has advanced, progress remains insufficient to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goal of reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases — including cancer — by a third by 2030.
Breast cancer emerged as the most diagnosed cancer worldwide in 2023, while tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancers were the leading cause of cancer deaths. The study emphasises the need for stronger cancer surveillance systems, particularly in low-resource settings, to better track and respond to the rising global burden.