World Cancer Day Call: Early detection must lead India’s fight against a rising cancer tide

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 4, 2026

With annual cancer cases projected to surge from over 1.5 million today to an alarming 2.45 million by 2045, health experts warn that the country is standing at a critical turning point where awareness, prevention and early detection could mean the difference between life and loss for countless citizens. While advancements in treatment and policy support are offering new hope, public health specialists caution that India’s real battle against cancer must begin through widespread screening, timely diagnosis and community-level interventions that can drastically improve survival rates and reduce the growing human and economic toll of the disease.

Sounding this warning on the eve of World Cancer Day, the Indian Cancer Society (ICS), Delhi, stressed that while advances in treatment are welcome, they cannot substitute timely diagnosis and sustained prevention efforts. The concern gains added significance as the Union Budget 2026-27 has unveiled a series of measures to improve access to cancer treatment, including customs duty exemptions on select cancer drugs and a renewed push for domestic biopharma manufacturing. Public health specialists have welcomed these initiatives as a major step toward affordability, but cautioned that treatment-focused interventions alone will not be enough to arrest the growing cancer burden.

These issues took centre stage during a media interaction organised by the ICS Delhi Branch at the Press Club of India on Tuesday where health experts, policymakers and cancer survivors came together to deliberate on emerging cancer trends, persistent gaps in early diagnosis and the pressing need to strengthen prevention strategies across the country.

“The 2026 Budget has opened the door for affordable care, but our mission at ICS remains focused on ensuring patients never reach the advanced stages where these drugs are their only hope,” said a spokesperson for the ICS Delhi Branch, underlining the Society’s long-standing emphasis on early detection. Since 1983, the Delhi Branch has been at the forefront of community-based interventions, working to translate policy intent into action on the ground.

Addressing the gathering, Jyotsna Govil, Chairperson, ICS Delhi, highlighted the Society’s decades-long commitment to cancer prevention, patient support and advocacy. She emphasised the critical role of responsible and informed media in dispelling myths around cancer, encouraging timely screening and ensuring that evidence-based information reaches communities that are often the hardest to access.

Providing a clinical and data-driven perspective, Dr. Nitesh Rohatgi, Senior Director, Oncology, Fortis Memorial Hospital, outlined current cancer incidence patterns and trends in India. He stressed the importance of age-appropriate prevention and regular screening, noting that advances in diagnostics and treatment are increasingly capable of improving outcomes and reducing costs — provided cancers are detected early.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Urvashi Prasad, cancer survivor and former Director, NITI Aayog, drew attention to gaps in cancer data, regional disparities in care and the financial barriers that continue to delay diagnosis and treatment for many patients. She underscored the need for stronger Centre–State coordination and sustained public investment to ensure that cancer care becomes both timely and equitable.

Bringing a deeply human perspective to the discussion, Renuka Prasad, cancer survivor and Secretary, ICS Delhi, spoke about the average patient journey and the emotional, physical and financial toll cancer exacts on families. She outlined the Society’s community-focused initiatives, including Prashanti, its healing and rehabilitation centre, large-scale screening programmes, the Rise Against Cancer mobile app and patient support initiatives backed by partners such as HDFC.

Linking cancer prevention to the broader goal of universal health coverage, Dr. Monika Puri, Public Health Consultant and former WHO official, stressed the importance of integrating prevention, screening and continuity of care into primary health systems. Such integration, she noted, is essential to ensure equitable access, particularly for underserved and high-risk populations.

The interaction concluded with a strong call for expanded public–private partnerships, leveraging the newly announced Biopharma Shakti framework to ensure that screening, diagnostics and early intervention tools reach the communities that need them most.