India recorded approximately 12 lakh new cancer cases and 9.3 lakh deaths in 2019, making the country the second-highest contributor to the cancer burden in Asia that year, according to a new Lancet study.

Published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, the study, conducted by an international team of researchers, including experts from the National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, and Bathinda, compared cancer data across 49 Asian countries from 1990 to 2019.

The study highlights that, alongside China and Japan, India played a significant role in the growing cases of cancer threat in Asia, where a staggering 94 lakh new cases and 56 lakh deaths were reported in 2019.

China contributed the most, with 48 lakh new cases and 27 lakh deaths, while Japan reported about 9 lakh new cases and 4.4 lakh deaths.

Among the key findings, tracheal, bronchus and lung (TBL) cancer emerged as the predominant cancer in Asia, causing an estimated 13 lakh cases and 12 lakh deaths.

Cervical cancer ranked high among women, highlighting the importance of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing this type of cancer.

The study also identified smoking, alcohol consumption and ambient particulate matter pollution as dominant risk factors for cancer across Asia.

"The rising cancer burden due to increasing ambient air pollution is concerning in Asia," they wrote, especially in countries with high levels of ambient particulate matter, such as India, Nepal, Qatar, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The study also found the prevalence of smokeless tobacco (SMT) such as khaini, gutka, betel quid and paan masala in South Asian countries like India, contributing significantly to oral cancers.

India alone accounted for 32.9% of global deaths and 28.1% of new cases of lip and oral cavity cancer in 2019.

The study found the need for addressing the factors contributing to the rise in cancer cases, including industrial growth, urbanisation, migration, and increased motor vehicle usage as well.

The researchers stated that improved water and sanitation can help reduce the transmission of Helicobacter pylori, potentially lowering the risk of stomach cancer.

They also noted a common pattern of decreasing cancer burden in younger age groups and increasing cancer burden associated with longer life expectancy as countries undergo development.

Timely cancer screening and treatment availability with a focus on cost-effectiveness and coverage of treatment expenses, should be conducted, especially in low and medium-income countries where oncologic infrastructure is often scarce or unaffordable.