Every week, I meet patients who ask me, “Is cancer increasing in India, doctor?”
And sadly, my answer is yes. Not just increasing—but shifting. Shifting in patterns, in types, and in where it’s showing up.
As of 2025, we now have clearer data. And while numbers matter, I think what’s behind those numbers matters more.
So today, I’m not just giving you a list. I’m explaining the why behind the where.
Top 10 States in India with the Highest Cancer Burden (2025)
Based on data from national and regional registries, here’s what we’re seeing this year:
- Maharashtra - 8.15%
- Karnataka - 6.15%
- Tamil Nadu - 5.96%
- Kerala - 5.63%
- Gujarat - 4.97%
- Assam - 2.73%
- Punjab - 2.69%
- Haryana - 2.10%
- Delhi (NCT) - 1.83%
- Mizoram - 0.13%
Now, just seeing the names doesn’t explain much. Let me break it down.
1. Maharashtra – Diverse Cancer Profile
Estimated cancer cases (2025): About 1,28,000
From urban Mumbai to rural Vidarbha, Maharashtra shows wide variation.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. In men, lung and oral cancers are still leading.
The causes are mixed—tobacco, poor air, processed foods, stress, and in some rural parts, even unsafe drinking water.
2. Karnataka – IT Boom, But Also Lifestyle Burnout
Estimated cancer cases (2025): About 96,600
In Bangalore and other metros, we’re seeing more colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers.
The connection? Sedentary jobs, fast food, sleep deprivation, and stress.
City life comes with comfort, but also quiet risks that grow over time.
3. Tamil Nadu – Tobacco-Linked and Oral Cancers
Estimated cancer cases (2025): About 93,536
Tamil Nadu sees a lot of oral cancers, especially in men.
Chewing tobacco, gutka, and supari habits remain strong in many districts, despite awareness campaigns.
We’re also seeing an increase in breast cancer in Chennai and surrounding urban pockets. Diet, weight gain, and hormone shifts may be playing a part.
4. Kerala – High Literacy, High Detection
Estimated cancer cases (2025): 88,460 (Men: 43,110 | Women: 45,350)
Kerala has one of the highest cancer rates in India. But here’s the thing—it’s also because people there get screened.
Breast, colon, and thyroid cancers are reported more simply because they’re found more often.
But lifestyle plays a role too. Sedentary habits. High-fat diets. Long-standing diabetes. We see more obesity-linked cancers here.
5. Gujarat – Gut and Gallbladder Concerns
Estimated cancer cases (2025): Around 78,000
Gujarat has a unique cancer profile. High rates of gallbladder and gastrointestinal cancers are seen, especially in Saurashtra and tribal areas.
Spicy food, heavy oil usage, and gallstone issues may be contributing.
We also see more tobacco use among younger boys here, which shows up years later in hospital beds.
6. Assam – Tobacco and Gut Cancers Again
Estimated cancer cases (2025): Around 42,800
Much like Mizoram, Assam reports high levels of esophageal and stomach cancers.
Tobacco—both smoked and chewed—is deeply woven into social habits.
Many patients present late because of low access to advanced care in remote districts.
7. Punjab – Alcohol, Pesticides, and Food Habits
Estimated cancer cases (2025): Around 42,288
Punjab has long battled cancers, especially in rural belts.
Heavy pesticide use in crops, poor water quality, and high alcohol use have all been linked to rising cancer cases.
Liver cancer, throat cancers, and even gallbladder cancers are unusually high in certain pockets.
8. Haryana – Breast Cancer Rising
Estimated cancer cases (2025): Around 33,000
In 2025, Haryana recorded a sharp rise in breast cancer, especially in Gurgaon, Rohtak, and Faridabad.
Late diagnosis is still a major concern. Many women ignore symptoms for months.
Risk factors here? Urban lifestyle, low physical activity, high stress, and alcohol in younger age groups.
I’ve had women in their early 30s walk into my clinic—something that was rare just a few years ago.
9. Mizoram – Tobacco and Gut Cancer
Estimated cancer cases (2025): Around 2,100
This state has one of the highest cancer rates per capita in India.
And it’s not random. Tobacco use—especially smokeless tobacco—is very high here.
There’s also a high incidence of stomach cancer, possibly linked to fermented, smoked food, and heavy salt intake.
I’ve seen younger patients from the Northeast with gut cancers that we normally see later in life.
10. Delhi (NCT) – Air, Alcohol, and Urban Stress
Estimated cancer cases (2025): About 28,700
Cancer in Delhi is rising fast.
Lung cancer is high here, and not just in smokers. Pollution is a big player. The kind of pollution that seeps deep into your lungs every single day.
There’s also a rise in breast and cervical cancers. Stress, late pregnancies, poor follow-up screening, and alcohol consumption are all common threads.
Top Cancer Types in India in 2025
Based on recent estimates, India saw approximately 1.7 million new cancer cases in 2025, and rates are projected to rise further by 2030. The five leading types across both sexes now include:
- Breast Cancer Still the most common cancer among Indian women, accounting for around 26–28% of cases. Urbanization, delayed childbirth, low breastfeeding rates, obesity, and genetic predisposition are fueling this trend. Alarmingly, many women are diagnosed before age 50.
- Oral & Lip Cancer Predominantly occurring in men, oral cancers account for about 15.6% of cancers in men, primarily because of tobacco chewing (gutka, paan), tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption.
- Lung Cancer In men, lung cancer accounts for roughly 8–10% of cases; in women (~3–4%), it is also found. More recent studies indicate more than 50% of lung cancer patients in a few cities such as Nagpur are non-smokers, in a sign of increasing role of air pollution and environmental toxicants.
- Cervical Cancer Still common—estimates are around 17–18% of women's cases—although rates are falling due to growing awareness and new vaccine initiatives. India is rolling out HPV vaccination programs on a larger scale and training thousands of physicians to encourage take-up, with a focus on rural areas.
- Colorectal Cancer Gradually on the increase, particularly in urban communities, colorectal cancer explains about 4–5% of instances due to obesity, processed food consumption, lack of physical activity, and post-pone screenings.
Leading Cancer Types in India by Gender and Prevalence
Final Thoughts – What Do These Patterns Tell Us?
Cancer isn’t random.
It’s showing up differently in each state because the habits, food, environment, and health systems vary so much.
Where there’s more screening, we catch cancers earlier.
Where there’s more tobacco, we see oral and lung cancers.
Where diet shifts toward processed food and inactivity, we see colon and breast cancers rise.
So what’s the takeaway? It’s not to panic—it’s to act. Early.
If you’re from one of these states, or if any of these risk factors sound familiar, talk to me, book a consultation. Don’t wait. Don’t hope it’ll go away. Cancer doesn’t care if you're busy.
