# India accounts for 7 in 10 childhood cancer cases in SAARC 2026-08-13T00:31:55+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet India accounted for 68.8% of estimated childhood cancer cases across the eight SAARC countries in 2022, with 25,939 new cases out of a regional total of 37,716, according to a population-based analysis in The Lancet Regional Health, Southeast Asia. Pakistan followed with 7,841 cases, or 20.8% of the total. Researchers caution that population size, uneven cancer registration, diagnosis gaps and unequal healthcare access all influence the numbers. Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer region-wide, accounting for 35-50% of cases, while CNS tumours make up about 12%. Mortality-to-incidence ratios vary sharply, from 0.30 in Sri Lanka to 0.57 in Afghanistan, reflecting differences in diagnosis, treatment access and continuity of care. WHO data show that more than 80% of children with cancer survive in high-income countries but fewer than 30% survive in many low- and middle-income nations. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Tags: cancer registry, childhood cancer, health inequality, Lancet study, pediatric oncology, SAARC Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-accounts-for-7-in-10-childhood-cancer-cases-in-saarc/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-accounts-for-7-in-10-childhood-cancer-cases-in-saarc/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.