Sat Jun 28 14:10:25 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
Kerala is experiencing a cancer incidence rate significantly higher than the national average in India. Experts at the Kerala Cancer Conclave highlighted the urgent need for targeted interventions, improved awareness of risk factors, and early diagnosis. Key issues include a rise in specific cancers like lung, oral cavity, colorectal, prostate, and liver in men, and a significant increase in breast cancer among women. Despite good survival rates due to quality care, late diagnosis remains a problem. Contributing factors include the state’s aging population, potential detection bias, lifestyle factors, and issues with treatment adherence. Experts call for integrating comprehensive cancer care with primary care and addressing socio-economic barriers to treatment.
**News Article:**
**Kerala Faces Soaring Cancer Rates, Experts Call for Immediate Action**
*Thiruvananthapuram, June 28, 2025* – Kerala is grappling with a significantly higher cancer incidence than the rest of India, prompting oncologists and public health experts to demand immediate, targeted interventions. According to data presented at the Kerala Cancer Conclave, the state reports 243 cancer cases per lakh population in men and 219 in women, far exceeding the national average of 105 and 103, respectively.
The conference, which commenced Saturday, shed light on the state’s alarming cancer landscape. Lung, oral cavity, colorectal, prostate, and liver cancers are the most prevalent in men, while breast cancer has seen a dramatic 300-fold increase over the past 25 years, now accounting for 34% of all cancers in women.
While Kerala boasts commendable five-year survival rates, indicating high-quality cancer care, experts raised concerns about the high proportion of late-stage diagnoses. “A huge number of locally advanced metastatic cancers were being reported in Kerala than anywhere else in the country, said Prashant Mathur, Director of ICMR-National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, Bengaluru
The state’s aging population, with a projected 22.8% of the population aged 60 and above by 2036, is considered a major contributing factor. However, epidemiologist V. Ramankutty emphasized that lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and alcohol consumption, are not adequately addressed. He also cited issues with treatment adherence, often due to reliance on alternative medicine, financial constraints, and inadequate insurance coverage.
Experts are advocating for the integration of comprehensive cancer care within primary healthcare systems and the tackling of socio-economic barriers preventing patients from seeking timely diagnosis and completing treatment. Speaker A.N. Shamseer inaugurated the event, which brought together over 200 professionals to discuss solutions.
First Piper 