‘Median cancer diagnosis age in India is lower than in West’
The median age for cancer diagnosis in India is lower when compared with the U.S., the U.K., and China, said a report released by Apollo Hospitals. According to the hospital’s data, the average age of diagnosis of breast cancer in India is 52 against 63 in the U.S. and the U.K., while for lung cancer it is 59 as opposed to around 70 in the West.
The fourth edition of Apollo Hospitals’ “Health of the Nation” report, which looks at trends in noncommunicable diseases (NCD) based on the hospital’s data, has highlighted the huge burden of cancers among the country’s younger population and risk posed by low cancerscreening rates.
“What is striking in our database is the median age at which people are diagnosed with cancer; cancer affects a much younger population. It is 52 years for breast cancer, 54 years for cervical cancer, and 59 years for lung cancer,” Madhu Sasidhar, president and chief executive officer, Apollo Hospitals, said.
Looking at their data, the hospital found that colon cancer cases were increasing among younger people, with 30% of colon cancer patients at Apollo Hospitals aged less than 50 years. But the country falls behind in cancer screenings.
“Most nations have strong guidelines for screening,” he said, adding that while the screening rate for breast cancer stood at 74% to 82% in the U.S., a mere 1.9% are screened in India.
Data extrapolated
Raising the issue of Western data being extrapolated in India, he explained how an analysis found the threshold for ProstateSpecific Antigen (PSA) — a blood test — in Indian men was different from the current standards, suggesting the need for local data.
The report also elaborated on mental health and metabolic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. It found that one in three Indians have prediabetes, raising the need for proper diet, exercise, and weight loss.
In a video message, Prathap C. Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals, said NCDs contributed to 70% of deaths today.