Tata Trusts: Transforming Cancer Care Delivery in India

Excerpt

India has a huge burden of cancer, with an estimated number of about 2.25 million living with the disease. Approximately, 13 lakh new cancer patients are registered annually, with over 8 lakh cancer-related deaths [1]. Cancer cases in India increased at an average annual rate of 1.1–2% from 2010 to 2019. According to an analysis by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, the growth rates are among the global highest [2]. The northeastern states, including Assam, have the highest cancer incidences and mortality. The incidence of cancer in Assam is 90.2 per 1 lakh population against the national average of 81.2 per lakh. Furthermore, 70% of the cases reported are in the late stage of the disease, leading to high mortality (40–50%) [3]. The problem of high incidence and late detection is aggravated by a dearth of infrastructure and skilled workforce to treat the disease, concentrated urban cancer care resulting in patients having to travel far off distances to seek treatment and care, leading to high out-of-pocket expenses and consequently, high drop-out rates along the treatment pathway. Besides this, unhealthy lifestyle habits and a lack of awareness contribute to an increased risk for cancer. …