Cancer cases in Commonwealth countries, including India, are expected to double, said a study published by The Lancet Oncology Commission on Cancer in the Commonwealth, underscoring the urgency for India to ramp up prevention and treatment efforts.
The cancer burden in Commonwealth countrie surged 35 per cent in the ten years from 2008 to 2018, according to the recently published paper titled “Cancer Control in the Commonwealth: A Roadmap.” Commonwealth countries contributed 14.3 per cent of global cancer cases, the research revealed.
Initial recommendations in the study focused on tackling the rising incidence of cancer in the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth. It emphasised the need for the establishment of a system for the regular data collection on cancer resources, service use, and outcomes to benchmark performance across the Commonwealth, implementation of population-based registries, setting up of mobile screening units, telemedicine, and rural cancer centres as a way to bridge the access gap and ensure more equitable care across countries such as India.
Among the Commission’s recommendations to support member states in their cancer control efforts were the establishment of a centralised Commonwealth cancer observatory and setting up digital cancer registries. These digital, population-based registries could provide member states with reliable, real-time data on cancer incidence and survival rates. Such registries could support healthcare systems to identify gaps and improve treatment quality and responsiveness.
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The paper also featured recommendations for strengthening regional cancer care networks. These included increased financial and policy support, strategies for sustainable funding and expanded healthcare budgets.
“The dedication of the Commonwealth Heads of Government to eliminate all forms of cancer provides a strong impetus to tackle the major challenge of cancer. The Commonwealth have a unique opportunity and the capabilities to develop a decisive response underpinned by a comprehensive roadmap to expand equitable cancer control to harness major health and economic benefits for a more resilient common future,” said Rifat Arun, Chair of the Commission.
Does India have a higher cancer burden?
In India, the cancer burden is the highest in skin cancer, prostate cancer and blood cancer, say experts. In the research study published last year in the International Journal of Clinical and Medical Education Research, Ajeet Kumar from the Centre for Genetic Disorders, Institute of Science, Benaras Hindu University wrote, “India’s annual incidence of CML ranged from 0.8 to 2.2 per 100,000 people. This is the most frequent type of leukaemia in India, accounting for 30 per cent to 60 per cent of all leukaemia.”
Accounts from the country’s non-profit organisations that are involved in the fight against cancer, such as the DKMS BMST Foundation India, also line up with the studies.
Patrick Paul, CEO of DKMS BMST Foundation India, weighed in, “Lots of people who die of blood cancer in India are not even aware they had blood cancer. Every five minutes, someone in India is diagnosed with blood cancer, and an estimated 70,000 people die every year because of blood cancer.”
Dr Surabhi Siddhartha, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Motherhood Hospital in Mumbai, noted that around two in every 10 Indian women were at high risk of contracting cervical cancer. “Cervical cancer is a serious health concern that requires prompt diagnosis, as it affects a large population.”
Jyotsna Govil, chairperson of the Indian Cancer Society, said that prostate cancer constitutes a shocking 15 per cent of all cancers observed in men in India.
One of the authors and Chair of the Lancet Oncology Commission on Cancer in the Commonwealth, Rifat Atun, is expected to share insights on this roadmap during a webinar hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat as part of London Global Cancer Week on November 14, 2024.