Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh is projected to record nearly 65,000 new cancer cases among adults in 2026, with women accounting for a larger share of the estimated burden than men, according to the ‘Cancer Burden Profile 2026: Andhra Pradesh’ released by ICMR-National Institute of NCD Epidemiology (ICMR-NINE).
The profile, prepared under National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), estimates 35,646 new cases among women and 29,344 among men in the state.
Among men, oral cavity cancer is projected to be the most common cancer, accounting for 15.3% of cases (4,498). It is followed by lung cancer at 9.7% (2,852), colorectal cancer at 8.8% (2,591), prostate cancer at 6.9% (2,020) and stomach cancer at 6.2% (1,823). Together, the five cancers account for nearly 47% of the estimated male cancer burden.
Among women, breast cancer accounts for the largest share, at 27.9% (9,941 cases). Cervical cancer follows at 12.7% (4,540), with colorectal cancer at 6% (2,136), corpus uteri cancer at 5.9% (2,092) and ovarian cancer at 5.3% (1,876) next in line. These five cancers together account for nearly 58% of the estimated cases among women.
Tobacco, alcohol emerge as key risk factors
The profile identifies tobacco use as an important contributor to the cancer burden. Cancers of the lip, tongue, mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, larynx, lung, cervix, kidney and urinary bladder, among others, are classified as tobacco-related cancers.
Current tobacco use among people aged 15 years and above is reported at 22.6% among men and 3.8% among women. Alcohol use is reported among 23.3% of men and 0.5% of women.
Cancer is also projected to affect 1,698 children and adolescents aged 0-19 years in 2026, comprising 881 boys and 817 girls. The number is projected to rise marginally to 1,709 by 2030.
Andhra Pradesh currently has one population-based cancer registry, operated by Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Visakhapatnam. The state also has 12 hospital-based cancer registries covering major medical and cancer-care institutions across several districts.
Cancer burden and screening gaps
The age-standardised cancer burden in Andhra Pradesh is estimated at 2,138 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per one lakh population, including 2,100 among men and 2,196 among women. DALYs combine the impact of premature mortality and years lived with disability.
The report also highlights significant gaps in cancer screening. Among women aged 30 to 49 years, only 4.7% have ever undergone cervical cancer screening, while 0.8% have undergone a breast examination and 7.3% an oral-cavity examination. Among men in the same age group, 6.3% have undergone an oral-cavity examination.
Other risk factors highlighted in the profile include overweight and obesity, affecting 31.1% of men and 36.3% of women aged 15 to 49 years. Hypertension affects 29% of men and 25.3% of women aged 15 years and above, while raised random blood glucose is reported among 21.8% of men and 19.5% of women.
ICMR-NINE cautioned against making direct comparisons between the latest estimates and earlier cancer-burden figures. The latest estimates incorporate updated registry data, additional population-based registries and improved estimation methods, meaning changes in the reported burden may not necessarily reflect an actual increase or decrease in cancer incidence.
