According to a study published in The Lancet Oncology, approximately 1.9 lakh of the cancer diagnoses recorded across India in 2024 were attributable to infectious agents rather than hereditary predispositions or other contributing factors. Projections drawn from the study's baseline figures and current oncology trends point to more than 6,000 potential cancer diagnoses in Telangana attributable to pathogens such as H. pylori, Hepatitis B and C, Human Papillomavirus, and Epstein-Barr virus. According to The Lancet research, tumours can also arise from prolonged exposure to widespread pathogens, even as hereditary factors and personal habits tend to receive greater attention in public health conversations. Records from regional registries and specialist oncology facilities, including the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and the MNJ Institute of Oncology, illustrate how these transmission routes shape the volume of cases seen in routine clinical practice. Among the infection-related cancers examined in The Lancet report, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) ranks as the leading contributor, linked to cervical cancer and a range of other tumour types. Cancers attributed to HPV infection continue to pose a public health burden for women across Telangana. Limited public awareness at the community level means many people do not seek medical attention until a disease has progressed, even when vaccines and screening tools are readily accessible. The research also draws attention to Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection as a contributing factor in the development of stomach cancer. An ongoing H. pylori infection triggers long-term inflammation of the gastric lining, which may lead to stomach cancer when the condition goes unaddressed. Persistent hepatitis B and hepatitis C viral infections are recognised contributors to the development of liver cancer, encompassing hepatocellular carcinoma. Broadening Hepatitis B immunisation coverage and improving availability of antiviral treatments are among the measures health specialists identify as key to halting disease progression. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, formerly the WHO's Chief Scientist, noted that pathogens including HPV, H. pylori, and hepatitis viruses are linked to more than two million cancer cases worldwide each year, pointing to the need for corresponding shifts in public health policy. Each year, the state's health department puts the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients in Telangana at between 55,000 and 60,000. Figures place the State's cancer occurrence at 125 cases per 100,000 people, roughly 15 points above the national average of 110 per 100,000. Among women in Telangana, mammary gland cancer accounts for the highest proportion of recorded malignancies. Cancers affecting the mouth and head-and-neck region, frequently associated with tobacco consumption, disproportionately affect the male population within the State. Among all districts in the State, Hanumakonda records the steepest cancer occurrence rate at 79 per lakh people, with Hyderabad reporting 72 per lakh. The Telangana Cancer Burden Profile 2026 found that cervical cancer screening had reached just 3.3 per cent of the state's female population.
