Cancers of the respiratory system ranked fifth in India in 2022, with 1,43,062 reported cases. Digestive system cancers and breast cancer remained the top sites.
As Delhi-NCR battles “severe” air quality, experts warn that nearly half of India’s lung cancer cases occur in people who have never smoked, deepening health concerns this pollution season.
Sneha Sasikumar New Delhi
November, which usually heralds the pollution season in Delhi-NCR, is incidentally Lung Cancer Awareness Month. It is among the fourth deadliest cancers in India, with a lifetime risk of one in 74 people. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 40-50 per cent of lung cancer patients in India are “never-smokers”. It’s more worrying for those living in the national capital region, where the air quality has been hovering at “severe” levels.
Top five leading sites for cancer cases
Cancer of the respiratory system ranked fifth in India in 2022, with 1,43,062 reported cases. Digestive system cancers and breast cancer remained the top sites.
Lung cancer most prevalent among men
Lung cancer is the most prevalent cancer among Indian men, accounting for 11 per cent of all cancer cases. Among women, it makes up about 4 per cent of cases, while breast cancer continues to dominate, contributing 30.1 per cent of all cancer cases.
Fourth leading cause of cancer death in India
Lung cancer ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer death in India, with a mortality rate of 4.9 per 100,000 in 2024, while it was the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Myanmar.
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