India experiencing a major spike in cancer cases: know the reasons, prevention and expert recommendation

With the changing times the lifestyle of the people has been harshly affected, and deadly diseases like cancer are now common. With every passing year, India is experiencing a hefty spike in cancer cases. A report by Apollo Hospital unveiled that India had 14 lakh patients by 2020 and the number is expected to touch 15.7 lakh by 2025.

“Cancer cases and deaths are rising and are expected to rise further over the next two decades,” K Srinath Reddy, former president of the Public Health Foundation of India, told Deutsche Welle (DW) 

Cancer is a disease involving uncontrollable cell growth which can further spread to the other parts of the body. Women are prone to breast, cervix and ovarian cancers, whereas lung, mouth and prostrate are common among men.

As estimated by the Global Cancer Observatory for 2022 32% of the total new cases come under the umbrella of Breast, oral and cervical cancer. Cases in women (7,22,138) are marginally high compared to that of the Men (6,91,178).

The rise in the cases is attributed to the unhealthy lifestyle, Doctors and experts have mentioned it as the most common reason for cancer.

Breast cancer- late marriages and childbirth, limited breastfeeding practices, and other lifestyle choices. Oral cancer- Smokeless tobacco, such as gutka and paan masala, is responsible for 90% of the total oral cancer cases.
Cervical cancer-  HPV infection, early sexual activity and multiple sexual partners.
Lung cancer- happens mostly because of environmental air pollution and air pollution from cooking fuels.

“India’s eating setting has changed significantly in recent years as a result of globalisation and urbanisation. Young Indians are consuming more and more processed foods, sweetened beverages, and high-fat meals as part of their Westernised diets. This change has led to a concerning increase in diabetes and cardiovascular disorders among young people, as well as a spike in obesity rates,” said Dr Dinesh Singh, Chairman of Radiation Oncology, Andromeda Cancer Hospital, Sonipat, as quoted by The Times of India.

“Cancer still poses a serious threat to the lives of young Indians, even with reduced incidence rates. A large number of young Indians can put off getting regular check-ups or medical attention until their symptoms get really bad,” Dr Singh further added as quoted by The Times of India.

Certain lifestyle changes can reduce the risk but the genetic mutation can’t be controlled. WHO suggested in a report that almost 30 to 40% cases are caused due to lifestyle risk factors like oral intake of tobacco, smoking, alcohol consumption, an unhealthy diet full of junk and low in fruits and vegetables, overweight and obesity and ignoring physical activity.

“There is no doubt that it is growing and there needs to be prioritized action by everyone. For instance, the government should incentivize screening as a first measure,” said Nitesh Rohatgi, senior director of medical oncology at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute.

A study published in Nutrition Journal suggests that selenium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, chlorophyll, and antioxidants such as carotenoids (a-carotene, ß-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin) are some of the elements that protect the cell against the attack.

The journal read, “The basic idea is to eat a reduced amount of food (about 70-80% of the amount required to maintain “normal” body weight) while still consuming all of the necessary amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients. The only restriction is the total amount of energy (calories) that is consumed. While being difficult to practice, this approach has a lot of scientific merit for being able to extend average life spans of many species of animals including rats, mice, fish, and possibly primates (currently being tested).”

The journal also mentioned some of the superfoods to boost immunity that will help to counter the threat. Fatty acids, seafood, broccoli, cauliflowers and berries help in boosting immunity. several other healthy lifestyle practices like proper sleep of at least 7 hours, and regular exercise also help in safeguarding from diseases like cancer. the journal also mentioned the role of DNA repair and good gut health, while green mangoes and Greek yoghurt help in DNA repair, grapes, black tea, pomegranate and fish oil improve your gut bacteria.

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