Paediatric oncology has witnessed a boon with the opening of three childhood cancer units by the Tata Memorial Centre. The push will see the number of children able to access free cancer treatment from the Institute increase to 5,000 by the end of 2020, compared to approximately 2,500 at present. The takeover of hospitals by […]
cancer therapy
India’s cancer burden continues to grow
India’s cancer burden is continuing to increase according to recent data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The news came from minister of state for health Ashwini Choubey, who told the Lok Sabha that the Centre was emphasising its efforts to tackle breast, cervical, and oral cancer which account for 41 percent of […]
Cancer infrastructure needs an upgrade
Cancer is one of the leading threats to public health in India. An estimated 2.25 million people live with the disease in the country, with more than 1.15 million new cases registered and an estimated 784,821 deaths recorded last year. Despite this, the country’s cancer infrastructure is sorely lacking – as phrased by a parliamentary […]
Cancer treatment boon under Ayushman Bharat
PMJAY beneficiaries will be able to avail a more comprehensive package of cancer treatment under Ayushman Bharat. “Treatment for cancer is very expensive. We want to include treatment for all [types] of cancer in our health packages which are cost-effective, proven and beneficial to the patients,” said Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO of the National Health […]
The burden of childhood cancer
Childhood cancer leads to 11.5 million years of healthy life being lost every year, new research published in The Lancet reveals. India ranks among those countries most affected by childhood cancer. The study marks the first time loss of healthy life due to cancer in adolescents and children has been conveyed through disability-adjusted life years […]
India will need 7,300 cancer doctors by 2040 as chemotherapy need and cancer cases rise
By 2040, the number of people living with cancer who require chemotherapy will increase significantly worldwide. The burden will be most pronounced in low- or middle-income countries, including India, home to the third largest number of people living with cancer in the world. “The number of cancer cases necessitating first-line chemotherapy treatment will increase by […]
The threat of lung cancer – and the diagnostic treatment which offers hope
Lung cancer has emerged as a dominant public health threat in India, experts warn. One procedure offers a diagnostic hope in the fight against the disease. Every year, two million Indians are affected by the disease, which accounts for 7.5 percent of the overall cancer burden in the country and ten percent of cancer-related deaths. […]
India fails 83 percent of its cancer patients on treatment
In 2018, cancer killed 784,821 Indians. An estimated 2.25 million Indians are believed to be living with the disease. More than 1.15 million new cases were registered last year alone. These are worrisome figures for Indian policymakers and re-emphasise the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in India. But more worrisome are conclusions from a study […]
Haryana home to new health projects
Haryana is now home to a state-of-the-art National Cancer Institute (NCI), following an unveiling by the Prime Minister on Tuesday. The Institute was one of six health-related development projects Prime Minister Modi inaugurated while attending ‘Swachh Shakti 2019’ events in the state. Swachh Shakti commemorates the role of women working in rural areas of the […]
Can ayurvedic medicine cure cancer? Experts dispute claims
An ayurveda institute at one of India’s foremost oncology institute risks closure after failing to produce results about ayurveda’s ability to cure cancer – putting its credibility at stake. The medical education department of the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Karnataka signed a memorandum of understanding in March 2017 with the Union Ministry of […]