Cancer

Cancer is uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that can invade surrounding tissue and spread to other parts of the body. There are hundreds of types.

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer in Indian women (particularly urban). It is increasingly diagnosed earlier, treated with a coordinated team, and often cured — especially when caught early.

Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix — the lower narrow part of the uterus. It is the second commonest cancer in Indian women.

Oral cancer (mouth, tongue, cheek, lip, floor of mouth) has the highest burden in the world in India, driven by tobacco — particularly chewed forms (gutka, pan masala with tobacco, khaini, zarda, mawa), betel-quid chewing with or without tobacco, and smoking. Alcohol multiplies the risk.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide and in India. Tobacco is the biggest single cause — cigarettes, bidis, hookah.

Colorectal cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon) or rectum. It is rising in India along with urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles and diet changes.

Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate — a walnut-sized gland below the bladder in men. Most prostate cancers grow slowly; a minority are aggressive.

Ovarian cancer is cancer of the ovaries (or, closely related, the fallopian tubes or peritoneum). It is less common than breast or cervical cancer but often presents late because early symptoms are vague and there is no reliable general screening test.

Head and neck cancer covers cancers of the mouth, tongue, throat (pharynx), voice-box (larynx), salivary glands, nose and sinuses, and thyroid. In India, head-and-neck cancers are exceptionally common because of tobacco (chewed and smoked), betel-quid/areca, and alcohol.

Pancreatic cancer is a serious cancer that is often diagnosed late because early symptoms are vague. It is less common than many cancers but carries a significantly lower survival rate.

Stomach (gastric) cancer is cancer of the stomach lining. Its pattern varies strongly by region — in India, incidence is particularly high in parts of the north-east.

Bladder cancer is cancer of the lining of the bladder. Most early cases stay on the surface (non-muscle-invasive) and are highly treatable with local procedures; deeper or spread cancer needs more involved treatment.