Five lakh people die of cancer annually in India: Government

New Delhi: Cancer claims five lakh lives in India annually, government said in Lok Sabha on Friday. Noting that there is no age-wise data of cancer patients, Health Minister J P Nadda said the disease kills five lakh people annually and while men usually suffer from throat and stomach cancer, women suffered from breast, cervix and uterus cancer.

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Responding to questions during Question Hour, he said the government plans to set up 20 cancer institutes and 50 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres in the country.

Under the scheme, 47 proposals have been received from 26 states and UTs. Of these, 14 proposals from 13 states -- seven for setting up cancer institutes and other seven for establishing tertiary centres -- have been approved and funds released.

The deficiencies in other proposals have been communicated to the concerned states, Nadda said.