By Admin 
Delhi Government Cancer Data: The latest figures of Delhi government present a serious and worrying picture of cancer in the capital. One in three people who have died from cancer in the last 20 years has been under the age of 44. This means that this disease is no longer limited only to the elderly, but is increasingly affecting the youth and people of working age. In the last two decades, a total of about 1.1 lakh people died due to cancer in Delhi, out of which about 93 thousand deaths were recorded in hospitals.
The number of people dying from cancer increased rapidly
According to statistics, while the number of deaths from cancer was more than 2,000 in 2005, it will increase to around 7,400 by 2024. However, this increase was not the same every year. For example, in 2011, the number of deaths due to cancer reached approximately 10,000, which clearly shows the increasing danger of this disease. In terms of age group, people aged between 45 to 64 years were most affected, whose share was more than 41 percent. Apart from this, the share of children under 14 years of age was about 8 percent and that of youth between 15 to 24 years was 5.8 percent. In these 20 years, 7,298 children and 5,415 youth (under 24 years of age) died from cancer in Delhi hospitals.
Deaths due to cancer increased in Delhi
Cancer deaths in Delhi increased at an average rate of 7 percent every year, which is more than three times the population growth rate of the capital. More than 90 percent of total deaths occurred in hospitals and in 2018 this figure reached almost 98 percent. Experts believe that this reflects increasing dependence on hospitals for better reporting and treatment. In terms of actual numbers, 38,481 people aged 45 to 64 died in hospitals between 2005 and 2024, while 23,141 people aged over 65 and 18,220 people aged 25 to 44 died due to cancer.
Difference in number of women and men
Gender-wise statistics show that more deaths due to cancer were recorded among men. During this period, there were about 55,300 institutional deaths of men and more than 37,600 institutional deaths of women. However, the age pattern remained almost the same in both. While among men, about 40 percent deaths occurred in the age group of 45 to 64 years, while among women this ratio was more than 43 percent. According to doctors, the number of women in the age group of 25 to 44 years was slightly more than men, which is being linked to diseases like breast and cervical cancer.
How many deaths occurred due to which cancer?
Among women, 411 deaths from breast cancer and 194 deaths from ovarian cancer were recorded. At the same time, 553 deaths from respiratory cancer and 117 deaths from prostate cancer were recorded among men. Tobacco-related cancers also remained a major cause, with 607 deaths among men and 214 deaths among women due to oral cancer. Apart from this, cancers related to the digestive system like stomach, colon and pancreas cancer also took the lives of a large number of people.
What do experts say?
According to Dr. Abhishek Shankar, MD, Radiation Oncology Department at Delhi AIIMS, air pollution is becoming a major reason for the actual increase in cases of lung and breast cancer. Apart from this, uneven availability of treatment also keeps the mortality rate high, with private hospitals being expensive and government hospitals under immense pressure. Experts say that cancer is not only increasing among the youth, but this disease is more dangerous at this age. In such a situation, if timely investigation and proper treatment is not received, the risk of death increases.
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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.
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