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Posted: Thursday, Apr 01, 2010 at 2232 hrs IST
Updated: Thursday, Apr 01, 2010 at 2232 hrs IST
Deaths from lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer are rising in India. Cancer accounts for 8% of the main causes of deaths in India.
Increased rates of incidence of various cancer types prevailing in India has created interest among various companies like BMS, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, GSK, SP Corporation, Fresenius Kabi, Natco Pharma, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy's and Biocon to focus in the oncology segment. More than 30 companies in India market drugs for cancer treatment.
According to Bibhuti Bhushan Kar, program manager, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Frost & Sullivan, the major factors driving the oncology market include increasing patient population, combination therapy as standard therapy and novel high-cost therapy.
In males, lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of 28 per 10,000 males, whereas cervical cancer is found to be the most common cancer in females with a mortality rate of nearly 15 per 10,000 females. Lung cancer is also the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. Over 60,000 new cases are diagnosed every year and 80 % of patients are at an advanced stage, mostly the middle-aged and elderly.
Bibhuti Bhushan added: "New therapies to arrive on the market are priced in a much higher bracket because of their proven survival benefits and reduced toxicity. These therapies are preferred over generic drugs, thereby generating more revenues."
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 90% of all lung cancer. The primary cause of lung cancer in up to 90% of patients is tobacco. Lung cancer represents one-fifth of all cancer-related deaths in India.
