This typical yet unique profile of Indian patients was revealed in a special review of lung cancer cases in Asia in The Lancet, one of the world’s most widely read medical journals. The study found that lung cancer develops about 10 years earlier in India than in Western countries, with an average Year Age at diagnosis was 54–70 years.
According to an article titled “Peculiarities of Lung Cancer in Southeast Asia” written by a team of doctors centered around the Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai, lung cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the region in 2020 (1.85 million new cases, 7.8%), but the most common cause of cancer deaths, causing 1.66 million cases, 10.9% deaths. The corresponding global figures are 2.2 million new cases (11.6%) and 1.7 million deaths (18%). In India, the annual incidence of lung cancer is 72,510 cases (5.8%) and mortality rate is 66,279 cases (7.8%).
Highlighting the “uniqueness” of Indian patients, one of the authors, Dr Kumar Prabhash of the Medical Oncology Department at Tata Medical Centre, told TOI on Tuesday, “More than 50 per cent of our lung cancer patients Non-smoker” “.
Research has shown that important risk factors for lung cancer in non-smokers include air pollution (especially particulate matter PM2.5), occupational exposure to asbestos, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and coal, and passive smoking in the home. Factors such as genetic susceptibility, hormonal status, and pre-existing lung disease may also influence the increased incidence of lung cancer in non-smokers.
Dr Prabhash further said the rate of cases here is lower than in the Western countries: “In the US, the incidence of lung cancer is 30 in 1,000 people, whereas in India it is six in 1,000. But considering India’s large population, even six per cent is a huge number of patients.”
Another feature of India’s lung cancer problem is the high incidence of tuberculosis, he says. “TB and lung cancer have similar symptoms to each other, so diagnosis is often delayed.” In this regard, the authors say that it is not easy to get new treatments and molecules. “Most of the treatments are developed abroad and are costly to import.” The biggest challenge is early detection and initiation of treatment. “Only 5% of lung cancer patients seek help at the time they need surgery. This figure needs to be increased to at least 20% like in the West,” says Dr Prabhash.
