Summary:
MUMBAI: The number of cancer cases countrywide has gone up in the last six years by 15.7%. IARC released the 2018 estimates recently.The silver lining in the estimates is the sharp decrease in cases of cervical cancer, which until a decade back was the No. Globocan data showed a 21% fall in cervical cancer cases, from 1.23 lakh in 2012 to 96 in 2018.Dr Mehrotra said, "An increase in awareness, better screening and treatment facilities, later age of marriage, fewer pregnancies and improved hygiene leading to fewer infections are some key factors contributing to this decline in cervical cancer cases. "Dr Rajesh Dikshit, who heads Tata Memorial Centre's epidemiology department said the incidence of cervical cancer had started decreasing in Mumbai many years back. ICMR released an elaborate state-wise data of cancer along with medical journal, ' The Lancet ', last month..