Rise in cancer cases in India: Govt

New Delhi: The number of people suffering from cancer, especially lung cancer, has been increasing, Rajya Sabha was informed Tuesday.

"The lung cancer prevalence was 76,783, 79,833 and 83,035 in 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. The estimated incidence of cancer cases of all sites for the year 2013, 2014 and 2015 was 10,86,783, 11,17,269 and 11,48,692, respectively," Health Minister J P Nadda said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

For cancer the focus is on three sites, namely breast, cervical and oral cancer, the minister while replying to another question.

"The government has approved a Tertiary Care for Cancer scheme in 2013-14. Under the scheme, government is assisting to establish State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and Tertiary Care Cancer Centers in different parts of the country. The maximum assistance inclusive of state share for SCI is upto Rs 120 crore and for TCCC is upto Rs 45 crore subject to eligibility as per scheme guidelines and availability of funds," he said.