As India stares at an ominous rise in cancer incidence, this World Cancer Day, the Global Sustainability Alliance prescribes a fresh approach for India to curb the growing menace and the huge burden it places on the country’s health infrastructure
Raising the alarm over the growing rate of cancer incidence in India, experts at the Global Sustainability Alliance have recommended that the country must do more to control modifiable risks like smoking to address the rising burden of tobacco-induced non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
According to a recent WHO report, cancer cases will grow by 77 percent globally by 2050. India recorded an estimated 1.4 million cases in 2022, and one in nine of its citizens was at risk of developing cancer in his lifetime. Tobacco-related cancers constituted 27 percent of India's cancer burden in 2020, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Despite WHO acknowledging India's tobacco control policies, the country remains the second-largest consumer and producer of tobacco. The number of smokers and smoking-related diseases has not decreased, indicating the ineffectiveness of WHO's policies for India. Experts suggest that the country needs to develop its strategy to reduce tobacco-related cancer cases, as WHO's tobacco control policies may hinder potential solutions, such as harm reduction.
Dr. Bharat Gopal, Director of Pulmonology at Delhi Heart & Lung Institute, highlighted the importance of harm reduction to decrease the cancer burden. He emphasised that removing combustion from the tobacco consumption process could significantly reduce harm and save lives. WHO's European Code Against Cancer supports alternatives that do not involve burning tobacco or inhaling tobacco smoke, proposing regulations for these solutions to minimise potential risks.
Several countries, including Sweden, Japan, and the UK, have successfully implemented tobacco harm reduction policies, resulting in lower disease rates, including cancer. Dr. R. Zimlichman, Director of the Brunner Institute for Cardiovascular Research at Tel Aviv University, stressed the need for standardised harm reduction solutions governments choose to save lives globally. He warned that the delay in implementing harm reduction measures costs millions of lives worldwide.
World Cancer Day emphasises the collective effort required to combat cancer, with a specific focus on tobacco-related cancers. Advocating for harm reduction solutions is integral to this effort, providing alternatives to traditional tobacco use and promoting a healthier future for all.