Enhancing Cancer Screening and Early Diagnosis in India: Overcoming Challenges and Leveraging Emerging Technologies

This review addresses the significant challenges and technological developments in cancer screening and early diagnosis in the context of India's diverse and resource-constrained healthcare landscape. Selected cancers like breast, cervical, oral, lung, and colorectal cancers are focused on, and established screening methods such as clinical breast examination (CBE), mammography, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), HPV DNA testing, and oral visual inspection (OVI) are reviewed. These are cost-effective strategies that are proven to reduce mortality. However, they face systemic barriers, including low awareness, socio-cultural stigma, and discontinuous healthcare access. Emerging technologies in cancer screening like liquid biopsy (detecting circulating tumor DNA), artificial intelligence (AI)-driven imaging (enhancing radiological accuracy), next-generation sequencing (identifying genetic mutations), and methylation-based ctDNA analysis (epigenetic profiling) are considered to be transformative in cancer management. Digital pathology and telemedicine are also found to improve diagnostic precision and rural/remote outreach. However, high costs, technical complexity, and limited validation in Indian settings are the major challenges that hinder their widespread adoption. The review emphasizes the need for culturally tailored awareness campaigns, integration of screening with the already existing public health programs, and increased investments in indigenous research to address genetic and environmental risk factors. It specifically advocates for strengthening the primary healthcare infrastructure, training community health workers, and leveraging mobile screening units to bridge urban-rural disparities. A combination of scalable low-resource methods and strategic adoption of emerging technologies can help in mitigating India's growing cancer burden. This aligns with global targets to reduce premature non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality by 2030. This synthesis of evidence-based practices and innovative strategies offers a roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance equitable cancer care delivery nationwide.