India Has World’s Third-Highest Cancer Cases; Government Aims To Expand Screening Network

India now accounts for the third-highest number of cancer cases in the world, data shared by government citing international and national health agencies showed. The findings highlight both the scale of the disease and the government’s growing efforts to expand prevention, screening and treatment services across the country.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) estimates that India recorded 14,13,316 cancer cases, with an incidence rate of 98.5 per 100,000 people. Only China and the United States reported higher numbers, with China registering more than 48 lakh cases and the US 23.8 lakh cases.

Data from the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) further shows the spread of cancer incidence across states and union territories over the past decade.

Tackling Cancer Cases

To tackle the rising disease burden, the Union Health Ministry said it is significantly strengthening the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). Under the programme, a nationwide network of infrastructure has been set up, including 36 State NCD Cells, 753 District NCD Cells, 770 District NCD Clinics, 233 Cardiac Care Units, 364 Day Care Centres and more than 6,400 NCD clinics functioning at Community Health Centres.

A population-wide initiative for screening diabetes, hypertension and common cancers — oral, breast and cervical — has also been rolled out under Comprehensive Primary Health Care. These screenings are now an integral service at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

As part of its efforts to expand advanced cancer treatment, the government has established 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres across India. The National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, Haryana, and the second campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata have also begun offering specialised cancer care. Cancer treatment facilities have additionally been approved at all 22 newly established AIIMS.

For 2025–26, the Centre has approved 297 new District Day Care Cancer Centres to improve access to cancer treatment at the district-hospital level.

The government is also working on capacity-building for the cervical cancer vaccine, and has introduced the National NCD Portal to track screening, diagnosis and management of major non-communicable diseases. The portal currently supports population enumeration and screening for hypertension, diabetes and oral, breast and cervical cancers for individuals aged 30 and above.

Financial assistance for cancer patients is available under several schemes. The Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund provides up to Rs 15 lakh for patients undergoing treatment at designated cancer hospitals. Under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, families receive coverage of Rs 5 lakh annually for secondary and tertiary care. Affordable generic medicines are made available through the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, while AMRIT pharmacies provide discounted drugs and implants for cancer and other non-communicable diseases.

The Ministry added that nationwide awareness programmes continue under NP-NCD, while the Fit India Movement and yoga-related initiatives aim to strengthen preventive health across communities.