Photo Credit: Indiatimes

NEW DELHI: Cancer has witnessed a 5 per cent increase in its prevalence rate between 2012 and 2014 with the number of new cases doubling between 1990 and 2013, says government data.

Globally, cancer is already the second-leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. Proportion of deaths due to cancer around the world increased from 12 per cent in 1990 to 15 per cent in 2013. International estimates show deaths from cancer have increased by 60 per cent in India over last two decades.



"The increase in cancer cases may be attributed to ageing population, unhealthy lifestyles, use of tobacco and tobacco products, unhealthy diet etc," health minister JP Nadda said in the Lok sabha on Friday. Nadda said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is implementing a National Cancer Registry Programme based on 29 population-based and 29 hospital-based registries.