ICMR Study Finds Breast and Thyroid Cancers in Females on Rise

A recent comprehensive publication by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on cancers among adolescents and young adults between the ages of 15 and 39 years, based on data from Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCR) across the country, including Hyderabad, found that cancers of the mouth, tongue, and leukaemia in males, and breast and thyroid cancers in females, are on the rise.

The ICMR research, based on PBCR data, was published on March 5 by Elsevier in the journal ScienceDirect. It predicted that by 2025, the number of cancer cases among both genders in the adolescent and young adult category will climb to 1,78,617.

Cancers were found to be more common in girls than men between the ages of 15 and 39, said the study. Breast, thyroid, mouth, and tongue cancers were the most common between the ages of 30 and 39, while cervical cancer cases were declining from the past two decades.

The ICMR researchers concluded that there was a need to spread cancer awareness among those aged 15 to 39. For this age group, lifestyle choices such as no to cigarettes and alcohol, being physically active, and keeping a healthy weight have become vital.

The researchers analysed cancer data from roughly 900 patients in Hyderabad as part of the study. In Hyderabad, the crude rate, which is the number of cancer cases per 100,000 people, was 30 for males and 33.2 for females. Males in Hyderabad face a one-in-124 chance of having cancer, while females face a one-in-110 chance.

"Cancers are a concern in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population. Because AYA oncology looks to be emerging in India, a strong healthcare system as well as appropriate AYA cancer care policies and programmes are critical to improving disease outcomes and survival," it stated.