A recent report on India’s health landscape unveiled alarming trends in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with cancer cases skyrocketing across the country, as per a PTI report.

The 4th edition of Apollo Hospitals’ Health of Nation Report, released on World Health Day 2024, dubbed India the “cancer capital of the world”.

According to the report, one in three Indians is pre-diabetic, two in three are pre-hypertensive, and one in 10 suffers from depression. The prevalence of NCDs such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health disorders has reached critical levels, significantly impacting the nation’s health.

India: The New “Cancer Capital”

Of particular concern is the surge in cancer cases, surpassing global rates and earning India the title of the “cancer capital of the world.” The report warns of a potential healthcare crisis as conditions like pre-diabetes, pre-hypertension, and mental health disorders manifest at younger ages.

The most common cancers in order of occurrence in India are breast cancer, cervix cancer and ovarian cancer among women. For men, the most common cases are instances of lung cancer, mouth cancer and prostate cancer.

Notably, the median age for cancer diagnosis in India is lower than in other countries, but despite this, cancer screening rates in the country still remain very low, the release stated.