Changing trends in incidence of cancer sites in West Bengal--a hospital based study

A trend of change has been observed in the incidence pattern of cancer. The incidence of cancer has been slowly declining in the developed countries, but increasing in the less developed and developing countries. Smoking prevalence in the developing countries is now much higher compared to the developed countries, contributing to almost half of all the cancers among males in developing countries. Lung cancers are increasing rapidly in Kolkata and West Bengal, whereas head and neck cancer has shown a declining trend. Proportion of gastro-intestinal cancers is increasing in West Bengal. Lifestyle change, inactivity, intake of calorie-dense food, obesity may have a reflection over some of these cancers. Breast cancers are now the commonest cancer of females of West Bengal in contrast to rest of India except Mumbai. Incidence of cancer of cervix has grossly declined in the city of Kolkata, but not in rural Bengal.