At Kidwai, one of the State’s largest tertiary cancer centres, around 22,176 new cancer cases are registered every year, with more than 3.7 lakh follow-up visits recorded annually.
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As Karnataka continues to record a steady rise in cancer cases, the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) on February 3 underlined the need for stronger prevention, early detection and people-centred cancer care, with particular emphasis on Bengaluru and the State’s growing disease burden.
World Cancer Day, observed on February 4 under the aegis of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), seeks to mobilise governments, health professionals and communities worldwide against cancer. The UICC theme for 2025-27, “United by Unique”, continues through 2026 and calls for care models tailored to individual patients while ensuring equitable access.
Karnataka’s cancer burden
In Karnataka, an estimated 89,125 new cancer cases are diagnosed every year, with around 2.5 lakh people currently living with the disease. Bengaluru alone accounts for a significant share of this burden, according to data from KMIO.
Quoting Population-Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) figures for Bengaluru, Kidwai director (additional charge) Naveen T. told The Hindu that among men, lung (9.7%), prostate (6.9%), stomach (6.5%) and mouth (6.4%) cancers are the most common. Among women, breast cancer dominates, accounting for 31.5% of cases, followed by cervical (9.1%), ovarian (6.4%) and mouth cancers (4.3%).
Tobacco-related cancers remain a major concern in the city, accounting for 36% of cancers among men and 15% among women. PBCR data also indicates an average annual increase of about 1% in cancer incidence among both sexes in Bengaluru, highlighting the growing public health challenge, he said.
Over 22,000 new cases
At Kidwai, one of the State’s largest tertiary cancer centres, around 22,176 new cancer cases are registered every year, with more than 3.7 lakh follow-up visits recorded annually. “Among male patients, mouth, lung, tongue and oesophageal cancers are most frequently seen, while breast, cervical, mouth and ovarian cancers predominate among female patients,” Dr. Naveen said.
Data shows that tobacco-related cancers account for 31.2% of all cases treated at the institute. Childhood cancers (0-14 years) make up 3.8% of cases, with leukaemia being the most commonly diagnosed.
Lifestyle changes
Ahead of World Cancer Day, the institute stressed that many cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol, vaccination, such as the HPV vaccine, and regular screening. It also highlighted the importance of early diagnosis, noting that timely detection significantly improves survival and treatment outcomes.
Published – February 03, 2026 10:52 pm IST
