Study Reveals Cancer as 10th Leading Cause of Death Among Children in India
Cancer 10th leading cause of death among kids in India: Study
The Indian Express
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A recent study published in The Lancet highlights that cancer is the 10th leading cause of death among children in India. Globally, it ranks eighth, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the brunt of childhood cancer cases and deaths. The findings emphasize the urgent need for improved cancer control measures in India.
- 01Cancer is the 10th leading cause of death among children in India.
- 02Globally, there were 3.77 lakh new cases and 1.44 lakh deaths from childhood cancer in 2023.
- 03Low- and middle-income countries account for 85% of new cases and 94% of deaths.
- 04In India, approximately 17,000 children died of cancer in 2023.
- 05Experts call for urgent inclusion of childhood cancer in national cancer control plans.
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According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study published in The Lancet, cancer is the 10th leading cause of death among children in India. The study reveals that globally, there were 3.77 lakh new cases and 1.44 lakh deaths from childhood cancer in 2023, with the highest burden in low- and middle-income countries. These countries accounted for 85% of new cases and 94% of deaths, highlighting significant disparities in healthcare access. In India alone, around 17,000 children succumbed to cancer in the same year. The most prevalent types of childhood cancers include leukemias, brain cancers, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Dr. Venkatraman Radhakrishnan, a medical oncology professor at the Cancer Institute in Chennai, stressed the need for childhood cancer to be included in India's national cancer control planning, noting that many deaths are preventable with better resources and early diagnosis. The study underscores the importance of accurate data on childhood cancer to inform effective health policies.
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The high mortality rate from childhood cancer in India indicates a critical need for improved healthcare resources and policies to prevent and treat this disease effectively.
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