New Study Reveals Cancer Mortality Rates among Women Rise

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 27 July 2023

A study that analysed the data of 12.85 million cancer-related fatalities has provided new insights on the patterns of cancer mortality in the Indian population. The study was conducted by experts from Kochi's Amrita Hospital in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a division of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and it was published in JCO Global Oncology.

According to the report, the trend in male cancer mortality has dramatically dropped, falling by 0.19 percent year between 2000 and 2019. The study was conducted from 2000 to 2019. But throughout this time, the cancer death rate among women has gone up by 0.25 percent. When both sexes were included, there was a 0.02 percent overall increase in cancer mortality rates.

In the investigation, numerous cancers with increased mortality rates between 2000 and 2019 were identified. These included cancers of the lung, breast, colorectal, kidney, gallbladder, pancreas, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and mesothelioma. Pancreatic cancer had the largest annual increase in death among both men and women, at 2.7%.

The fatality rate for certain cancers, however, was declining regardless of gender. Melanoma, leukaemia, larynx, stomach, esophageal, and other organ malignancies were among them.

The study also found that men had a higher overall cancer death rate than women did for the majority of common malignancies, with the exception of thyroid and gallbladder cancers. Larynx cancer mortality showed the highest gender disparity, with men dying from the condition almost six times more frequently than women.

The researchers stressed the importance of employing a comprehensive approach to stop India's rising cancer death rates. This approach entails raising awareness of cancer symptoms, putting cancer prevention policies into action, improving the healthcare system, and committing specific resources to the issue in order to effectively handle it.

In 2020, there will be 9.9 million cancer-related deaths worldwide, making it the second most lethal noncommunicable disease in the world. India had an age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of 63.1 per 100,000, accounting for almost 9% of all cancer-related fatalities. The most common fatal cancers in India were colon, lung, breast, and stomach cancers.

The study's findings are a crucial first step in creating more successful cancer control initiatives in India and offer crucial information to public health strategies in tackling this serious health challenge.