India’s cancer statistics reveal a striking paradox: women are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, but men are more likely to die from it. The latest data from the country’s cancer registries show that women account for slightly more than half of new cases, yet men make up the majority of cancer-related deaths. This contrasts with the global pattern, where men generally face higher cancer incidence as well as mortality.
Worldwide, nearly 20 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2022, with men faring worse than women. In India, however, differences in diagnosis, awareness, and lifestyle have created an unusual outcome. Among women, breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers dominate, with breast and cervical cancers alone making up 40% of cases. These cancers, linked to hormones or infections such as HPV, are increasingly being caught early thanks to public health campaigns, reproductive health check-ups, and screening programmes. Lifestyle changes, such as later pregnancies, reduced breastfeeding, obesity, and sedentary routines, have added to rising breast and ovarian cancer cases. Still, because these cancers are detected earlier and are often more treatable, women’s survival rates are relatively high.
Men face a different reality. Oral, lung, and prostate cancers dominate, with tobacco responsible for around 40% of preventable cases. Oral and lung cancers, in particular, tend to be aggressive and harder to treat. Men are also far less likely to seek preventive care or consult doctors at an early stage. Many come forward only when cancers are advanced, leading to higher mortality despite lower incidence. As cancer specialist Dr Ravi Mehrotra notes, women are more likely to engage with the health system through reproductive care, while many men may go their entire lives without seeing a doctor.
Regional differences add to the complexity. India’s northeast remains the country’s cancer hotspot, with Mizoram’s Aizawl district showing lifetime risks nearly double the national average. Doctors attribute this to widespread tobacco use, alcohol, areca nut consumption, and food preparation styles rather than hereditary factors. In Srinagar, lung cancer is most common among men, Hyderabad reports the highest breast cancer rates, and Delhi records higher incidence of cancers overall. Oral cancer is also rising, particularly among men across several states.
This uneven distribution mirrors global disparities. In wealthy nations, one in 12 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime but only one in 71 will die from it. In poorer countries, the numbers are reversed: far fewer women are diagnosed, yet far more die, largely due to late detection and limited access to treatment. India’s story fits within this larger truth: cancer is universal but deeply uneven, shaped by geography, income, lifestyle, and healthcare access.
With an estimated 1.56 million cases and 874,000 deaths projected for 2024, India’s cancer burden is both growing and becoming more complex. Experts warn that longevity, changing lifestyles, and environmental factors are reshaping risks, underscoring the need for prevention, early detection, and lifestyle changes. The paradox of more women being diagnosed but more men dying is ultimately a reflection of these shifting dynamics, where awareness, habits, and healthcare access determine who survives.
Source: BBC
