Cancer mortality in Karnataka has seen a steady rise in the last four years. According to data from the Hospital Based Cancer Registry (HBCR) at the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, deaths recorded in the facility have increased from 633 in 2020 to 1,015 in 2023, a rise of over 60%.
Part of larger trend
Doctors, who said the increase in mortality is the trend observed nationally and globally, attributed it to late presentation. While the outcome of treatment is better with early diagnosis and intervention, it is unfortunate that more than 60% of the patients come when the disease has progressed to an advanced stage, doctors said.
According to data, the rise in deaths is proportionate to the increasing number of new patients and follow-up registrations. While the number of new patients increased from 13,973 in 2020 to 21,608 in 2023, the follow-up registrations rose from 2.43 lakh in 2020 to 3.68 lakh in 2023.
Kidwai Director V. Lokesh told The Hindu that of the 13.9 lakh cancer cases newly diagnosed every year in the country, about 87,000 cases are estimated to be from Karnataka. At any point in time, there are more than 37.5 lakh cancer cases observed in India and about 2.3 lakh cases of these are in Karnataka, he said.
Terminal stages
“Over 60% of patients present with an advanced stage cancer at our institute. Apart from the rising incidence, patients treated in other hospitals also come to us in terminal stages. Moreover, previously treated advanced and metastatic cancer patients seek care at Kidwai due to the availability of palliative care. The increasing mortality is due to all these factors. We have noticed that the highest mortality is in the 35-64 years age group,” he said.
“Early diagnosis improves cancer outcomes by providing care at the earliest possible stage. We had 289 distant metastasis (in an advanced stage) cases in 2022 while 251 and 160 such patients were seen in 2021 and 2019 respectively. The number for 2023 is not yet available,” Dr. Lokesh said.
According to the data furnished in the Lok Sabha session in July last year, Karnataka is witnessing a steady rise in new cases and mortality since 2020. “In 2020, as many as 47,113 deaths were reported in Karnataka, which increased to 48,290 in 2021, and 49,516 in 2022. Karnataka stands second highest among the southern States after Tamil Nadu in cancer cases and mortality,” stated the Lok Sabha reply.
Leading cancer sites
In India, while the leading cancers among males are lung, oral cavity, stomach, colorectum, and esophagus, in females cancers of the breast, cervix, ovary, and oral cavity are in leading position.
In Bengaluru, the predominant cancers seen in males are lung, stomach, prostate and esophagus while breast, cervix, ovarian, corpus uteri are leading cancers sites in females. According to the Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR), an average of 1% increase in cancer cases is recorded annually in both males and females in Karnataka.
“A similar trend is observed in other metropolitan cities in India. While cancers of the prostate, colon, liver, brain, tongue, lung, lymphoma, mouth, esophagus, and stomach cancers are increasing significantly in males, corpus uteri, lung, breast, colon, ovary, thyroid, and stomach cancers are significantly increasing in females. However, mouth and cervical cancers are decreasing in Bengaluru,” Dr. Lokesh said.
