Background

Cancer is one of the most pressing public health challenges on a global scale, and yet, access to timely detection, treatment and support continues to be unequal. While the recent advances in medical care have improved the survival rates for many forms of cancer, these benefits aren’t really experienced by different communities equally. From many people belonging to low-income backgrounds, barriers such as limited awareness of early symptoms, financial constraints, and difficulty navigating healthcare systems can cause a significant delay in diagnosis and limit their access to treatment options. 

In India, cancer continues to affect people, with more than 15 lakh new cancer cases reported in 2024 alone. Although there have been many improvements in the treatment infrastructure, delayed diagnosis continues to be a big challenge with nearly 70% of cancer cases being detected at advanced stages. This makes treatment much more complex, expensive and at the same time less effective. 

The challenges surrounding cancer aren’t just about the medical treatment. Many patients and their families struggle to have access to reliable information. Along with this, it is difficult for them to identify relevant support services, and manage the emotional, financial, and logistical demands of care. The caregivers, who play such an important role in supporting the patient throughout their journey, often struggle to receive structured guidance. Due to this, they have to navigate the complex healthcare system with very little resources and information. These challenges feel even bigger for people from underprivileged communities because for them support systems can be just as important as access to treatment itself. 

Despite the scale of these challenges, conversations around cancer often just focus on treatment instead of improving the larger systems of support that are essential for the journey. Addressing cancer should not just be limited to medical intervention alone but by simultaneously creating better access to information, caregiving resources, community support and pathways that allow people to navigate care with more ease and confidence.