Question : Lung Cancer

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that Lung Cancer has reached epidemic stage in India as it constitutes 6.9 per cent of all new cancer cases and 9.3 per cent of all cancer related deaths in India;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise;

(c) whether more women have died of lung cancer than of breast cancer, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(d) the measures being taken by the Government to curb these cases in India?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) & (b): As per Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR), the estimated incidence of lung cancer account for 7.8% and the estimated deaths due to lung cancer account for 11.8% of all cancers. The estimated number of incidence and mortality of lung cancer cases in the country during 2016, State/UT-wise, is at Annexure I & II.

(c): As per ICMR, the estimated number of deaths due to lung and breast cancer are 23429 and 59142 respectively among females for the year 2016.

Cancer is a multifactorial disease, the risk factors of which, interalia, include ageing population, sedentary life style, use of tobacco products, unhealthy diet and air pollution.

(d): To supplement the efforts of the State Governments, the objectives of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) being implemented under National Health Mission (NHM) for interventions upto the district level includes awareness generation for Cancer prevention, screening, early detection and referral to an appropriate level institution for treatment. For Cancer, the focus is on three Cancer namely breast, cervical and oral.
A population level initiative of prevention, control and screening for common NCDs (diabetes, hypertension and cancer viz. oral, breast and cervical cancer) has been rolled out in over 100 districts of the country in 2017-18 under NHM, as a part of comprehensive primary healthcare. The screening activity will generate awareness on risk factors of common NCDs including cancer as such.


The Government of India is implementing “Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Centre” Scheme under NPCDCS to assist to establish/set up State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) in different parts of the country. Oncology in its various aspects has focus in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY). Setting up of National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar (Haryana) and 2nd campus of Chittranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata has also been approved. All these will enhance the capacity for prevention and treatment of cancer in the country.