A prominent oncologist based in New York has expressed strong support for a recent recommendation by a parliamentary committee to classify cancer as a notifiable disease throughout India, calling it a crucial milestone in the country’s battle against cancer.
Last month, the Rajya Sabha’s Committee on Petitions, led by Narain Dass Gupta, proposed that cancer be officially declared notifiable in all states and Union Territories. The committee emphasized that accurate data collection is essential to effectively address public health challenges like cancer by helping monitor trends, shape policies, and plan healthcare infrastructure.
Dr. Dattatreyudu Nori described the committee’s recommendation as both timely and vital. As an Indian-American oncologist, he believes this move will boost disease monitoring, improve prevention efforts, ensure more equitable allocation of resources, and ultimately lead to better health outcomes for millions of people.
Dr. Nori, a Padma Shri recipient, has held significant roles at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre and New York Presbyterian Hospital, Cornell University. He currently advises the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on cancer care.
He noted that making cancer a notifiable disease will greatly improve the accuracy and reliability of incidence data, which is fundamental for evidence-based policymaking. While some Indian states have already mandated cancer reporting, a national-level directive has long been awaited.
India’s National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), run by the ICMR-NCDIR, currently covers only about 16-18% of the population. Without a legal mandate, cancer data remains patchy and unclear, Dr. Nori explained. Only through a legally enforced notification system, requiring hospitals and healthcare providers to report cancer cases, can a comprehensive national database be built.
Improved surveillance will provide immediate benefits by generating robust, real-time epidemiological data. This enables the identification of high-risk areas, recognition of shifting demographic patterns such as the rise in oral cancer cases among people younger than 40 and correlation of new trends with risk factors.
These insights will help policymakers implement targeted interventions, including tobacco control, HPV vaccination, pollution reduction, and region-specific screening programs with greater confidence.
Responding to the argument that cancer is non-communicable and unlike infectious diseases typically considered notifiable, Dr. Nori said this distinction is outdated and semantic. A better approach is to classify cancer as a “documentable disease,” requiring mandatory reporting without equating it to infectious disease protocols. Beyond data collection, notifying cancer cases saves lives, since early diagnosis and timely treatment significantly improve survival rates and reduce treatment costs.
He stressed that such policies must be carried out responsibly, protecting patient privacy, avoiding stigma, and respecting dignity. Declaring cancer a notifiable disease is not government overreach but a commitment to addressing a growing public health crisis with transparency, accountability, and hope.
