Experts urge India to prioritise early detection and screening for cancer

The Story in Brief

Oncology clinics in India report that more than 70% of patients present with advanced-stage cancer, limiting the effectiveness of sophisticated surgery, radiation and systemic treatments developed over the past two decades. Late diagnosis increases treatment complexity, cost and reduces chances of cure; more than three-quarters of cancer-affected households face catastrophic healthcare expenditure. Five-year survival for lung cancer in India is about 4%, compared with nearly 33% in Japan, reflecting differences in stage at diagnosis. In 2024 India recorded an estimated 1.56 million new cancer cases and over 8,74,000 deaths, with a lifetime risk of developing cancer of about 11% nationally and exceeding 20% in some northeastern States.

The author argues prevention and earlier diagnosis must be prioritised: nearly half of cancers are preventable, school-based health education on addictions, diet, vaccinations and life skills is recommended, and persistent symptoms lasting more than three weeks should prompt medical evaluation. While organised screening has mainly covered cervical, breast and prostate cancers, emerging blood-based multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests could expand options after careful Indian validation. A layered national approach combining community health workers, digital risk assessment, AI, mobile diagnostics and strong referral pathways is proposed; NITI Aayog is building an imaging biobank of over 20,000 cancer profiles and the Draft National Health Research Policy 2026 could support implementation-focused research.

The Indian Opinion

The article emphasises shifting effort upstream to prevention, school health education and earlier diagnosis, which are reasonable priorities given the high burden of late-stage presentation. Some claims could overstate how quickly new technologies and programmes will change outcomes: MCED tests and AI tools are promising but need careful, local validation before wide use, and the article gives little detail on costs, timelines or operational challenges. Proposals for layered, community-linked screening fit India’s diversity, yet scaling such models will require sustained investment and evaluation. An ordinary reader should welcome the focus on prevention and earlier detection while recognising uncertainty about how rapidly proposed measures can be implemented at national scale.

Original article: India’s cancer focus must shift to early detection (www.thehindu.com)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.