Real cancer cases up to 3 times higher than reported in India

Real cancer incidence level in India is estimated to be 1.5 to three times higher than reported incidence as 51 per cent patients take more than a week to conclude diagnosis while 46 per cent take second opinion due to lack of confidence in initial diagnosis and suggested treatment, a report showed on Tuesday.The reported cancer incidence in India this year is estimated to be 19 to 20 lakh, whereas real incidence is 1.5 to 3 times higher than the reported cases, according to a study by FICCI and EY titled “Call for Action: Making quality cancer care more accessible and affordable in India”.India is faced with a sizable cancer incidence burden, which continues to grow exponentially.The 2020 WHO ranking on cancer burden in terms of new yearly cases being reported had ranked India at the third position after China and the US, respectively.