Tread carefully! These 5 types of cancer are becoming common in India

Cancers can be caused by a mutation that is either inherited or induced by environmental reasons or a result of DNA replication issues. Unfortunately, certain types of cancer have now become the leading causes of catastrophic health expenses. The rising cases have led to an increase in financial expenditure before death in India.

A recent Cancer report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) highlighted that there could be an increase of cancer patients in India by 12 percent in the next 5 years. With over 1.5 million people projected to suffer from the deadly non-communicable disease by 2025.

The most common cases of cancers seen in men are cancers of the lung, mouth, stomach, and oesophagus. Whereas in women, it is breast, cervix and uterine cancers. With the growing incidence of cancer cases in India, it has reached an alarming stage!

Here are the 5 types of cancer that have seen a spike in India in recent times:

1. Oral cancer

India has one-third of oral cancer cases in the world, and accounts for 30 percent of all cancer cases in our country. Oral cancer includes cancers of the back of the throat, mouth and can develop on the tongue and around that area. It is caused due to heavy consumption of tobacco and alcohol, HPV infection, age, or excessive sun exposure.

2. Stomach and gastric cancer

It is the seventh most common cancer among females, and fifth most common cancer among males in India. Though it is difficult to diagnose stomach cancer among people, early diagnosis and awareness can help in fighting this disease.

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3. Breast cancer

This cancer is widely seen among urban Indian women and the second common among rural women. There is a considerable amount of lack of knowledge and awareness of this disease. Also, due to the lack of a breast cancer screening program, most breast cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

4. Colorectal or colon cancer

This cancer is mostly seen in older adults but can occur at any age. It usually starts as small, benign non-cancerous clumps of cells called Polyps. These can be formed on the inside lining of the colon area. Over time, polyps can end up becoming the cause for colon cancer.

5. Cervical cancer

The early-stage of cervical cancer usually shows no signs or symptoms. It is a type of Cancer that is caused in the cells of the cervix – the lowermost part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Most of the cervical cancer cases have occurred from the sexually transmitted Human Papillomavirus (HPV). There are around 100 different strains of HPV, and certain types like HPV-16 and HPV-18 can cause cervical cancer.

Here’s how one can reduce the risk of cancer:

1. Cancers that are diagnosed during the initial stage, when it hasn’t spread or isn’t too large, have higher chances of being treated successfully.
2. It’s important to self-examine and be aware of the signs and symptoms.
3. If you do spot something unusual in your body, consult your doctor immediately.

In majority of the cases, it might not be cancer – but if it is, detecting it early can make a big difference. In case it is detected at an advanced stage, cancer can still be treated as there are various treatment options and therapies that are now available. Thanks to the latest technology and advancement in medical science, cancer patients can recover and lead a better quality of life.