Now Reading: Colorectal cancer now India’s 4th most common cancer: WHO-IARC
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Colorectal cancer now India’s 4th most common cancer: WHO-IARC
A Times Now report citing the WHO-IARC GLOBOCAN 2024 fact sheet says colorectal cancer has become India's fourth most common cancer, with 83,577 new cases diagnosed in 2024. The disease now ranks…
The Story in Brief
A Times Now report citing the WHO-IARC GLOBOCAN 2024 fact sheet says colorectal cancer has become India's fourth most common cancer, with 83,577 new cases diagnosed in 2024. The disease now ranks behind breast, lip and oral cavity, and lung cancers. It has jumped from the sixth spot in 2022. Among men, it is the third most common cancer, and among women, the fifth. The report also notes 38,499 deaths from colorectal cancer in 2024, making it the seventh leading cause of cancer deaths in India.
Doctors attribute the surge to lifestyle changes including diets high in processed foods, low fibre intake, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. An alarming trend is the rising number of younger Indians in their 40s and even earlier being diagnosed. The report stresses that colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers when caught early, and recommends high-fibre diet, regular exercise, and screening via colonoscopy.
The Indian Opinion
The GLOBOCAN numbers tell a clear story, but the narrative often blames 'modern lifestyles' without distinguishing between rising awareness and actual disease. Better diagnostics may partly explain the jump from sixth to fourth place, yet the real concern is that young Indians are now being diagnosed. The temptation to dismiss blood in the stool as piles must stop. The test that will settle the matter: how many people above 45 actually get a colonoscopy this year, not just talk about fibre.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
