Cancer in India: Cases shoot up in last 4 years; breast cancer top killer among women

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: With cancer emerging as a major health threat across the globe, India is witnessing a surge in the number of cases in the past few years. And about 6% of all deaths in the country are due to cancers which contribute to 8% of global cancer mortality.

As per reports, cancer cases have shot up across the country with 11.18 lakh people suffering from the disease in 2014 as compared to 10.28 lakh in 2011 – a rise of 9% in the last four year.

Recent surveys have shown that breast cancer has upstaged cervical cancer as the most common and biggest killer of Indian women. Whereas lung and oral cancer are the most common types of cancers among Indian men.

In 2014, nearly 5 lakh cancer deaths were reported in the country.

At the global level, higher incidence of cancer is observed in the head and neck region in men and cervix and breast for women.