Cancer control programmes in SAARC countries need to be strengthened: Lancet report

Authors flag concern over challenges in translating research into widespread clinical practice

The expert said cancer is particularly challenging as we are just beginning to augment registry efforts to understand the true incidence rates. (Representational Image)

A new four-paper series in the Lancet Oncology has made a strong case for strengthening National Cancer Control Programmes in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka).

SAARC countries are home to 24% of the world’s population and account for 9% of all cancer cases worldwide with a 12% mortality rate in the SAARC region. Authors have called for immediately investing in upgraded healthcare infrastructure, including cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Authors also flagged concern over challenges in translating research into widespread clinical practice. Referring to India, Prof M Saiful Huq from the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA and among the authors of the report, spoke about the increasing cancer burden and the mismatch between the pace of research and urgency of implementation.

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In an email interview, Professor Huq said the high cancer burden and varied patterns are a challenge in the country. “The country’s cancer patterns are highly variable due to genetic, lifestyle and environmental differences, making it challenging to generalise findings. Also, cancer treatment centres and research facilities are concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural regions underserved,” Huq, past president, American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) said.

Countries must focus on studies that address local healthcare needs and disseminate findings to policy makers. “This approach will enable informed decisions aimed at enhancing patient care,” Huq said. He also called for establishing early connections between researchers and clinicians in graduate school; foster collaborative research, advocate for cancer research, and secure philanthropic funding for robust research programmes.

At the individual level, clinicians in SAARC countries often endure heavy workloads and lack formal research training. “Providing short courses or workshops on clinical research methodology, such as those offered by the International Collaboration for Research methods Development in Oncology and Tata Memorial Centre, can improve the skills of early-career researchers,” Huq pointed out.

When contacted, Prof Kalpana Balakrishnan, Dean (Research), Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, (who is not attached with the series report) told The Indian Express that the paucity of capacities in the SAARC region to conduct locally relevant translational research is neither limited to cancer as a disease endpoint nor the conduct of clinical trials.

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The expert said cancer is particularly challenging as we are just beginning to augment registry efforts to understand the true incidence rates. “Any enhancement of cancer care infrastructure should simultaneously focus on risk factor mapping, early detection and therapeutic regimens without which we run the risk of exacerbating inequities in access to affordable healthcare for our populations. Finally, building core analytical epidemiological capacities is central for closing the evidence gap for effective screening and disease management protocols,” Prof Balakrishnan added.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

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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