Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cancer epidemiology: The Indian scene

  • International Symposium on Environmental Carcinogenesis Dec. 9–11, 1979, Cancer Research Institute (Tata Memorial Centre) Bombay
  • Epidemiologic and Intervention Studies, Screening
  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Clemmesen J (1965) Statistical Studies in Malignant Neoplasms. Vol I. Munksgaard, Copenhagen, pp 249–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Cross HE, Kennel EE, Lilienfield AM (1968) Cancer of the cervix in an Amish population. Cancer 21:102–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Emslie WJ (1866) Etiology of epithelioma among the Kashmiris. Indian Med Gaz 1:324–326

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirayama T (1966) AN epidemiological study of oral and pharyngeal cancers in central and south-east Asia. Bull WHO 34:41–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann D, Hecht SS, Ornaf RM, Wynder EL (1974a) N′-Nitrosonornicotine in tobacco. Science 186:265–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann D, Sanghvi LD, Wynder EL (1974b) Comparative chemical analysis of Indian bidi and American cigarette smoke. Int J Cancer 14:49–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Indian Tobacco Statistics, Madras (1975) Directorate of Tobacco Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Govt. of India

  • Jayant K, Balakrishnan V, Sanghvi LD, Jussawalla DJ (1977) Quantification of the role of smokin and chewing habits in oral, pharyngeal, and oesophageal cancers. Br J Cancer 35:232–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Jussawalla DJ, Deshpande VA, Haenszel W, Natekar MV (1970) Differences observed in the site incidence of cancer, between the Parsi community and the total population of Greater Bombay: a critical apprasial. Br J Cancer 24:56–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Jussawalla DJ, Deshpande VA (1971) Evaluation of cancer risk in tobacco chewers and smokers: an epidemiologic assessment. Cancer 28:244–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Jussawalla DJ, Gangadharan P (1973–1976) Epidemiology of cancer in the Indian sub-continent, Series I-IX. Ind J Cancer [Suppl] vol 10–13

  • Jussawalla DJ, Jain DK (1979) Lung cancer in Greater Bombay: Correlations with religion and smoking habits. Br J Cancer 40:437–448

    Google Scholar 

  • Khanolkar VR (1950) Cancer in India. Acta Un Int Ctr Cancer 6: 881–890

    Google Scholar 

  • Khanolkar VR (1959) Oral cancer in India. Acta Un Int Ctr Cancer 15:67–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehta FS, Hamner JE, Pindborg JJ (1978) The natural history of oral leukoplakia. Prevention and detection of Cancer, part II, vol I:83–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Niblock WJ (1902) Cancer in India. Ind Med Gaz 37:161–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Notani P, Sanghvi LD (1974) A retrospective study of lung cancer in Bombay. Br J Cancer 29:477–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Notani PN, Nagaraj Rao D, Sirsat MV, Sanghvi LD (1977) A study of lung cancer in relation to bidi smoking in different religious communities in Bombay. Ind J Cancer 14:15–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Orr IM (1933) Oral cancer in betel nut chewers in Travancore. Lancet 2:575–580

    Google Scholar 

  • Paymaster JC (1967) Epidemiologic study of cancer in western India. In: Ariel I (ed) Progress in Clinical Cancer. Grune & Stratton, New York pp 107–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanghvi LD (1974) Cancer epidemiology in India: A critique. Ind J Med Res 62:1850–1870

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanghvi LD, Jayant K, Pakhale SS (1980) Tobacco use and cancer in India. World Smoking & Health 5:4–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanghvi LD, Rao KCM, Khanolkar VR (1955) Smoking and chewing of tobacco in relation to cancer of the upper alimentary tract. Br Med J 1:1111–1114

    Google Scholar 

  • Shanta V, Krishnamurthi S (1963) Further study in aetiology of carcinomas of the upper alimentary tract. Br J Cancer 17:8–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahi PN (1968) The epidemiology of oral and oropharyngeal cancer: A report of the study in Mainpuri district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Bull WHO, 38:495–521

    Google Scholar 

  • Waterhouse J, Muir C, Correa P, Correa P, Powell J (Eds) (1976) Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, vol III. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Research Institute, Tata Memorial Centre, Parel, 400012, Bombay, India

    L. D. Sanghvi

Authors
  1. L. D. Sanghvi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sanghvi, L.D. Cancer epidemiology: The Indian scene. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 99, 1–14 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00412437

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00412437

Key words

Search

Navigation