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3 min readPuneApr 3, 2026 04:43 AM IST
The cancer types with the greatest burden globally in 2023 were leukemias, brain/central nervous system cancers and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system).
Cancer is the 10th leading cause of death among children in India, as per the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study published in The Lancet.
Globally, it is the eighth leading cause for childhood deaths, ahead of measles, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, with outcomes largely determined by resource availability, as per the study led by researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics Evaluation at the University of Washington School of Medicine and St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In 2023 alone, as per the study, there were 3.77 lakh new cases of childhood cancer and 1.44 lakh deaths worldwide.
While the study also shows that since 1990, new cases have been relatively stable globally, and deaths have decreased by 27%, children in low- and middle-income countries fare the worst. They accounted for 85% of the new cases, 94% of the deaths and 94% of disability-adjusted life years in 2023.
South Asia alone accounts for 20.5% of the global deaths, the study shows. Compared to the drop globally, it saw a 16.9% decline in childhood cancer deaths from 1990 to 2023. In India, approximately 17,000 children died of cancer in 2023.
The cancer types with the greatest burden globally in 2023 were leukemias, brain/central nervous system cancers and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system).
Commenting on the India findings, Dr Venkatraman Radhakrishnan, Professor of Medical Oncology at the Cancer Institute, Adyar, Chennai, said it was a matter of concern that “despite this, childhood cancer is not included in India’s national cancer control planning”.
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Noting that “most of the deaths in low- and middle-income countries are preventable”, he added: “Addressing this requires urgent inclusion of childhood cancer in national cancer control plans, alongside investment in early diagnosis, access to essential treatment, strong supportive care and robust cancer registries to guide planning and improve outcomes.” The study’s authors say that information on childhood cancer burden is crucial for effective cancer policy planning. “Unfortunately, observed paediatric cancer data are not available in every country, and previous global burden estimates have not discretely reported several common cancers of childhood… GBD 2023 data sources for cancer estimation included population-based cancer registries, vital registration systems, and verbal autopsies.”
Lisa Force, lead author from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, said, “The vast majority of children with cancer live in low- and middle-income countries, where delays in diagnosis, lack of access to essential cancer treatment, and other health system limitations and barriers to care can contribute to disparities in childhood cancer burden.”
Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More
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