Indian cancer patients are 10 years younger than their Western counterparts on an average.

Unhealthy lifestyle, increase in air pollution and pesticides in food-grains and vegetables are the major factors contributing to younger people getting affected by the disease these days.

The frequency of cancer has also increased resulting in one out of four cancer patients being an Indian instead of one out of five. Moreover, due to lack of awareness and phobia associated with the disease, more than 50 per cent cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. In the West, around 80 per cent of the cancer cases are detected in stage 1.

Dr T. Mandapal, former director of government MNJ Cancer Institute and director, Radiology Services, Care Hospital, said, “Breathing polluted air and second-hand smoking is a causative factor in children and younger people getting cancer. In India, more than one million new cases are diagnosed every year and there are around 2.5 million cancer patients at any point in time.

"In Andhra Pradesh alone, the number of patients range between 2.5 lakh and 3 lakh and most of these are oral cavity, throat or lung cancers caused by tobacco consumption.”

Dr M. Babaiah, director, Yashoda Cancer Institute, said, “Besides genetic predisposition, faulty diet that includes lot of spicy, preserved and coloured food, increased and constant use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in food-grains and vegetables are important causative factors. Also, vehicular pollution has increased in recent times releasing carcinogens in the environment.”