Cancer is affecting more young people, and air pollution is a big part of the problem, according to the head of oncology at Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI). Dr. Pragya Shukla, who leads the Clinical Oncology department at DSCI, noted that cancer diagnosis patterns have changed. Instead of mostly affecting individuals in their 50s to 60s, cancer is now being diagnosed in people aged 30 to 40.
Dr. Shukla's research at DSCI showed that young people in India are being diagnosed with aggressive colon cancer, which is different from the Western trend where the average age of diagnosis is 68 to 72 years. Air pollution is believed to be a significant factor in this shift.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution due to their weaker immune systems and faster cell division. Dr. Shukla warns that the pollutants in the air, which contain carcinogens (substances that can cause cancer), are entering children's bodies and may lead to cancer in the future. She likens it to making children "smoke cigarettes every day."
Air pollution affects the body's susceptibility to cancer by introducing pollutants through the lungs, which can enter the bloodstream and affect various organs. This is not limited to lung cancer; it can impact other organs as well.
Dr. Shukla does not attribute the increase in cancer cases among young people to better diagnostics but rather to the harmful effects of air pollution. India is facing a significant rise in cancer cases, with air pollution as a major contributing factor to this increase.
Despite a slight improvement in air quality, air pollution remains a serious health concern in Delhi, with PM2.5 levels far exceeding safe thresholds.
