Cancer epidemiology: the Indian scene

Incidence of cancer in India is lower than in the West and the commonly affected sites are very different. Cancers of the upper alimentary and respiratory tracts (oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, and lung) contribute more than half of the cancers in men and about a quarter in women. In this category, cancers of the oral cavity are very common in some parts of the country and cancers of the pharynx, larynx and lung in others. Indigenous habits of chewing and smoking seem to be primarily responsible for the high incidence of these cancers. Cancer of the cervix uteri is a major problem in women and cancer of the penis in men is relatively common in some parts of the country. Practical measures are discussed for the prevention of these cancers common in India.