Bridging the Radiotherapy Gap in India's Cancer Care
A recent ICMR study reveals a significant shortfall in radiotherapy use for cancer care in India, identifying a gap between current usage and optimal needs. Analysis suggests a requirement for 1,585 to 2,545 machines versus only 794 available, prompting calls for increased investment and redistribution of resources.
- Country:
- India
An alarming shortfall in radiotherapy utilization has been uncovered by a study from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), demanding immediate interventions to address cancer care disparity in India. Published in the BMC Cancer journal, the research finds that only 28.5% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy, compared to the optimal 58.4%.
The study highlights that breast, head and neck, lung, and cervical cancers constitute 60% of India's radiotherapy needs. Despite being the third-largest global contributor to cancer cases, India's available radiotherapy machines total only 794, against a minimum requirement of 1,450 for its projected 2025 population of 1.45 billion.
With the burden set to rise, especially in low- and middle-income countries, policy interventions are needed to enhance machine availability, ensure equitable service distribution, and bolster cancer treatment. Coordinated efforts are essential to meet evidence-based targets and support cancer control initiatives in the country, researchers urge.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News