For more than a decade, I have been saying that India will become the global cancer capital by 2025. An American report four years ago said that India is moving towards becoming the biggest center of cancer. The recent Apollo report says that India is becoming the cancer capital of the world. This is the truth. Many people believe that cancer has started being tested more, hence more cases are being reported. But this is the fourth reason for the increase in numbers. The first reason is that new cases of cancer are coming in large numbers.
The second situation is that earlier cases of cancer used to occur in older age, after 60-65 years, but now this disease has started occurring in younger age also. The third change is that earlier some types of cancer were believed to occur in cities, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer in women, but now it is happening in rural women also. It is clear that the urban lifestyle has spread to the villages also, the result of which we are seeing.
Cervix cancer (cancer of the cervix) is more common among women in India. If we talk about metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, the highest number of cases are breast cancer followed by cervical cancer. Meaning the cases of cervix and breast cancer are highest. Gallbladder cancer is very common in women in North India, especially in the Ganges belt. If you go down from Kanpur through eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to Twenty-four Parganas in West Bengal, this cancer is so severe that the whole world is wondering what is happening.
The main reason for this is the dangerous industrial waste discharged into the Ganga. There are rules in this regard, but no one cares about them and all the waste is discharged into the river Ganga. This waste reaches the body through food items. Gram is used extensively in this area. If gram is not maintained properly, a fungus grows in it, which is the cause of cancer. The third reason is mustard oil. Mustard oil, which causes fungus, is more available in this area.
Lung cancer has now become very common among men at the national level. Mouth and throat cancer is highest in North India and Saurashtra area of Gujarat. Prostate cancer is in third place. The prostate is a gland located below the urinary bladder. The main cause of mouth, throat and lung cancer is tobacco – in any form. But cases of lung cancer have started increasing among people who have never consumed tobacco. The main reason for this is air pollution. Since everyone knows that consumption of tobacco and alcohol causes cancer, discussing it will not reveal any new information.
It is also very important to think why those people are getting cancer at a young age, who have never taken tobacco or drank alcohol. The lifestyle of the people is not good. The food is not good. Food and drink are widely contaminated. The government agencies meant to prevent this are not doing their work properly. They should check whether the food items contain heavy metals and dangerous chemicals. Water and air are also polluted.
Nowadays, the trend of eating highly processed food from shops and malls and heating it in the microwave has increased. Similar is the case with ordering food from app-based facilities. Brazil’s Nova classification classifies highly processed food as poison. We have to understand that there are three types of kitchens. One is God’s kitchen, in which natural food comes out, which we can eat directly, like fruits, vegetables, tubers, roots etc. It is good for health. The second is the human kitchen, where we prepare pure Indian food. This will also keep us healthy. The third kitchen is the devil’s kitchen, from where highly processed food, junk food, fast food, packed food, drinks etc. come out. Such foods are making us sick.
Such food produces excessive sugar, which causes cancer. Food packed in plastic, tetra etc. releases bisphenol, thalax etc., which cause cancer. Irregularities in sleeping-waking, eating and drinking habits cause mitochondrial injury, which can lead to cancer after time. A British study – the Nurses Study – concludes that people who do night duty have an increased risk of breast cancer. Right now it is most important that people pay attention to their lifestyle, so that cancer does not occur. If any unusual symptoms are seen in the body, one should go to the doctor and also ask him to get screened for cancer.
(These are the personal views of the author.)