Bengaluru has emerged as one of the cities carrying the heaviest cancer burden in India, according to the latest national assessment of incidence and mortality trends. The findings raise particular concern for women, with the city ranking among the top three nationwide for breast cancer cases and within the top ten for cervical and oral cancers.
Figures from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reveal that Bengaluru reports nearly 140 cancer cases per 100,000 women, placing it sixth in female cancer prevalence. Hyderabad currently leads the country in breast cancer incidence, recording 54 cases per 100,000 people.
For men, lung cancer remains the most common cancer across southern India. Bengaluru joins cities such as Visakhapatnam, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, and Delhi in reporting above-average rates, with Bengaluru’s incidence estimated at 125 cases per 100,000 men.
India today carries the second-largest cancer burden in Asia and ranks third globally. Projections from the Global Cancer Observatory warn that annual cases could rise to nearly 2.5 million by 2045, a steep increase from current levels. At present, the risk of an individual in India developing cancer in their lifetime stands at 11%.
Cancer incidence in South India is strongly linked to lifestyle, environmental, and demographic factors. Urbanisation in metros like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad has fueled sedentary routines, higher intake of processed foods and alcohol, and persistent tobacco use. Among women, delayed marriage and childbirth, reduced breastfeeding, and increased use of hormonal contraceptives have contributed to rising breast and cervical cancer rates. Meanwhile, air pollution and industrial exposure in southern metros add to the rising cases of lung cancer, particularly among men.