India
Lung cancer strikes non-smoking Indians earlier than Westerners | India News – Times of India
MUMBAI: A lung cancer patient in India is likely to be 10 years younger than a patient in the West and possibly someone who smokinga lifestyle factor associated with it.
This typical but unique profile of an Indian patient has emerged in a special review of lung cancer cases in Asia in The Lancet, one of the most widely read medical journals in the world. Research has shown that lung cancer in India manifests itself about a decade earlier than in Western countries, with an average age at diagnosis at age 54-70.
Written by a team of doctors, mainly from the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, the paper, titled ‘Uniqueness of lung cancer in Southeast Asia’, said that lung cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer (18.5 lakh new cases or 7.8%) in the region in 2020, but it is the most common cause of cancer deaths, accounting for 16.6 lakh or 10.9% of deaths. The corresponding global figures are 22 lakh new cases (11.6%), with 17 lakh deaths (18%). In India, lung cancer accounts for an annual incidence of 72,510 cases (5.8%) and 66,279 deaths (7.8%).
One of the authors, Dr Kumar Prabash from the department of medical oncology at Tata Medical Centre, emphasised the “unique nature” of Indian patients and told TOI on Tuesday that “more than 50% of our lung cancer patients non-smokers“.
The study said that important risk factors for lung cancer in never-smokers include air pollution (particularly particulate matter PM2.5), occupational exposure to asbestos, chromium, cadmium, arsenic and coal, as well as passive smoking in the home. Factors such as genetic susceptibility, hormonal status and pre-existing lung disease could also play a role in the rising incidence of lung cancer in never-smokers.
Dr. Prabash further said that the incidence of lung cancer here is lower than in the West. “The incidence of lung cancer in the US is 30 per 1,000, but in India it is 6 per 1,000. Given our huge population, even 6% amounts to a huge number of patients.”
Another unique aspect of India’s lung cancer problem, he said, is the high incidence of TB. “Diagnosis is often delayed due to TB as both the conditions mimic each other.” In this regard, the authors said that access to newer treatment modalities and molecules is not easy. “Most of the treatments are developed abroad and importing them increases the cost.” The biggest challenge is early identification and initiation of treatment. “Hardly 5% of lung cancer patients seek timely surgical help. We need to increase this number to at least 20%, like in the West,” Dr. Prabash said.
This typical but unique profile of an Indian patient has emerged in a special review of lung cancer cases in Asia in The Lancet, one of the most widely read medical journals in the world. Research has shown that lung cancer in India manifests itself about a decade earlier than in Western countries, with an average age at diagnosis at age 54-70.
Written by a team of doctors, mainly from the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, the paper, titled ‘Uniqueness of lung cancer in Southeast Asia’, said that lung cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer (18.5 lakh new cases or 7.8%) in the region in 2020, but it is the most common cause of cancer deaths, accounting for 16.6 lakh or 10.9% of deaths. The corresponding global figures are 22 lakh new cases (11.6%), with 17 lakh deaths (18%). In India, lung cancer accounts for an annual incidence of 72,510 cases (5.8%) and 66,279 deaths (7.8%).
One of the authors, Dr Kumar Prabash from the department of medical oncology at Tata Medical Centre, emphasised the “unique nature” of Indian patients and told TOI on Tuesday that “more than 50% of our lung cancer patients non-smokers“.
The study said that important risk factors for lung cancer in never-smokers include air pollution (particularly particulate matter PM2.5), occupational exposure to asbestos, chromium, cadmium, arsenic and coal, as well as passive smoking in the home. Factors such as genetic susceptibility, hormonal status and pre-existing lung disease could also play a role in the rising incidence of lung cancer in never-smokers.
Dr. Prabash further said that the incidence of lung cancer here is lower than in the West. “The incidence of lung cancer in the US is 30 per 1,000, but in India it is 6 per 1,000. Given our huge population, even 6% amounts to a huge number of patients.”
Another unique aspect of India’s lung cancer problem, he said, is the high incidence of TB. “Diagnosis is often delayed due to TB as both the conditions mimic each other.” In this regard, the authors said that access to newer treatment modalities and molecules is not easy. “Most of the treatments are developed abroad and importing them increases the cost.” The biggest challenge is early identification and initiation of treatment. “Hardly 5% of lung cancer patients seek timely surgical help. We need to increase this number to at least 20%, like in the West,” Dr. Prabash said.
