Kerala Faces Alarming Rise in Cancer Cases, New Study Reveals, ET HealthWorld

T’puram: A recent study presented at the Kerala Cancer Conclave 2025 reveals alarming cancer trends in the state, with Kerala reporting an average 88,460 cases annually-43,110 among males and 45,350 among females.

The national average stands at 1.56 million cases, making Kerala’s contribution significant at nearly 5.7% of India’s total cancer burden. By 2030, projections indicate a further rise to 43,930 cases in men and 45,813 in women.

The report presented by Prof Prashant Mathur, Director, ICMR-National Center for Disease Informatics and Research, Bengaluru, points to stark gender-based disparities in cancer prevalence. Among men, lung cancer leads at 14%, followed by oral cavity (10%), colorectal (10%), prostate (9%), and liver cancers (8%). For women, breast cancer dominates at 34%, with thyroid (11%), colorectal (9%), uterine (6%), and ovarian cancers (4%) following. Among males, the most common cancers were lung (14%), oral cavity (10%), colorectum (10%), prostate (9%), and Jliver (8%).

In females, breast cancer accounted for a striking 34%, followed by thyroid (11%), colorectum (9%), corpus uteri (6%), and ovary (4%).

Dr Mathur highlighted the rising prevalence of lung, prostate, and liver cancers in men, and breast and thyroid cancers in women. Liver cancer, in particular, continues to show a rapid increase across both genders over the past two decades.

In terms of crude mortality rates in Kerala in 2024, lung cancer led among men at 28.9%, followed by liver (18.9%), prostate (11.2%), stomach (8.3%), and mouth (8.3%). For women, breast cancer had the highest crude mortality rate at 37.5%, followed by lung (8.3%), ovary (6.6%), thyroid (6.1%), and cervix uteri (5.2%).

Lung cancer mortality among men in the state is 28.9%, while the national average is only 7.8%. For breast cancer in women, Kerala’s mortality rate is 37.5%, far above the national average of 14.9%.