In the last issue, I did some research and summarized the results regarding China outside of the United States.
As a result, I found that China was the world’s top cancer country.
As a follow-up, I looked into “India,” which is currently the most populous country in the world as of 2024, for my own curiosity.
↓ This is about the cancer situation in China.
The State of Cancer in India
India is the most populous country in the world (2024) and is estimated to have the second highest number of cancer cases in the world: in 2020, approximately 1.92 million new cases were diagnosed and 1.06 million people died.
The characteristics of cancer in India are as follows.
high morbidity
Lung, lip, and esophageal cancers are the most common cancers in men, while breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers are the most common in women.
In particular, lung cancer is the most common cancer in both men and women, accounting for about 11% of all lung cancer deaths worldwide.
In recent years, the incidence of colorectal cancer and prostate cancer has also been on the rise.
Males
Top 5 sites
Oral cancer (approx. 28,000/100,000)
Lung cancer (approx. 24,000/100,000)
Esophageal cancer (approx. 18,000/100,000)
Stomach cancer (approx. 15,000/100,000)
Prostate cancer (approx. 11,000/100,000)
Female
Top 5 sites
Breast cancer (approx. 21,000/100,000)
Cervical cancer (approx. 13,000/100,000)
Ovarian cancer (approx. 0.7K/100,000)
Lung cancer (approx. 0.6 million/100,000)
Colorectal cancer (approx. 0.5 million/100,000)
Difference between Japan and India (incidence rate)
Japan: approx. 1 million/year (males: approx. 530,000, females: approx. 470,000)
India: approx. 1.92 million/year (men: approx. 1.10 million, women: approx. 820,000)
Differences in Cancer Causes between Japan and India
Japan:
Smoking
Aging population
Dietary changes (increased fat intake, decreased fruit and vegetable intake)
Air pollution
Chronic infectious diseases (hepatitis B virus infection, hepatitis C virus infection)
India:
Smoking
Air pollution
Unhealthy diet (poor diet, intake of processed foods)
Lack of exercise
Sexually transmitted diseases (human papillomavirus infection)
high mortality
Male
Top 5 sites: Lung cancer
Lung cancer (approx. 22,000/100,000)
Oral cancer (approx. 18,000/100,000)
Esophageal cancer (approx. 13,000/100,000)
Stomach cancer (approx. 11,000/100,000)
Prostate cancer (approx. 18,000/100,000)
Female
Top 5 sites
Breast cancer (approx. 11,000/100,000)
Cervical cancer (approx. 18,000/100,000)
Ovarian cancer (approx. 0.4 million/100,000)
Lung cancer (approx. 0.3 million/100,000)
Colorectal cancer (approx. 0.3 million/100,000)
(Difference between Japan and India) (Mortality rate)
Japan: approx. 300,000/year (males: approx. 180,000, females: approx. 120,000)
India: approx. 1.06 million/year (males: approx. 640,000, females: approx. 420,000)
regional disparities
In India, there is a large difference in cancer incidence and mortality rates between urban and rural areas.
Urban areas tend to have higher rates of lung, colorectal, and breast cancers due to more westernized lifestyles.
Rural areas tend to have higher rates of cancers of the lip, esophagus, and stomach due to the continuation of traditional lifestyles.
Prevention and Early Detection
Lifestyle habits such as smoking, severe air pollution, unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise are thought to contribute to the high incidence of cancer in India.
Oral and cervical cancers are thought to be caused by viral infections, which are widespread sexually transmitted diseases.
Early detection and treatment are important to reduce cancer mortality, but are not yet fully implemented in India.
This is believed to be due to limited access to healthcare in many areas and lack of knowledge about cancer.
Access to Treatment
In recent years, there have been remarkable advances in cancer treatment in India, with the introduction of the latest treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and molecular targeted drug therapy.
(India has also seen a considerable increase in the number of factories manufacturing drugs.)
Cancer treatment in India is expensive and is a major burden for many patients.
The Indian government is making efforts similar to those in China to improve access to treatment for cancer patients by expanding the medical insurance system and introducing a medical cost support system for low-income people.
Japan:.
The universal health insurance system allows patients to receive medical care at relatively low cost.
Efforts are underway to reduce the financial burden on cancer patients through systems such as the high-cost medical care reimbursement system.
Many medical institutions have the latest cancer treatment methods.
India:.
The high cost of medical care is a major burden for many patients.
Many people are unable to receive treatment due to the lack of a widespread medical insurance system.
Few medical institutions have the latest cancer treatment methods.
Government Measures
The Government of India has established a National Cancer Control Plan and is strengthening its efforts in cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and research.
Specifically, it is promoting anti-smoking campaigns, air pollution control, promotion of healthy eating habits, widespread cancer screening (early detection), training of medical professionals, and investment in cancer research.
Summary
I have researched and summarized two of the most populous countries in the world, last time in China and this time in India.
I have noticed something after researching these two countries.
Countries that are currently in the midst of development have a high incidence of “lung cancer” due to air pollution.
In addition, the health insurance systems in both China and India are not as well-developed as in Japan, which means that treatment costs are high.
In India, it seems that early detection and treatment are still difficult.
If I have a chance, I will look into other countries as well!
