Nearly four out of every 10 cancer cases reported in Karnataka are linked to tobacco use, according to estimates from the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Sunday.
According to data, Karnataka’s estimated incidence of new cancer cases in 2025 stood at 88,813, of which 35,839 cases, or 40.4%, are projected to be tobacco-related. Tobacco use is a contributor to 10,004 of the State’s estimated 22,583 cancer deaths in 2025, accounting for 44.3% of all cancer mortality.
Higher in men
The burden is significantly higher among men. Of the 39,371 estimated new cancer cases in 2025 among men in Karnataka, 20,652 cases (52.5%) are linked to tobacco use. Among women, 15,187 of the estimated 49,442 cancer cases (30.7%) are tobacco-related.
Hospital-based cancer registry data from Kidwai underscores the scale of the problem. Of the 13,391 cancer cases treated at the institute in 2025, 6,740 cases (50.3%) were linked to tobacco. Among male patients, nearly six in 10 cancers (59.4%) were tobacco-related, while the corresponding figure among women was 42.3%.
Preventable
Naveen T., Kidwai director (additional charge), told The Hindu that tobacco continues to be one of the leading preventable causes of death and disease. Apart from cancers of the oral cavity, lungs, pharynx and oesophagus, tobacco use is associated with heart disease, chronic respiratory illnesses and several reproductive health complications.
Pointing out that Karnataka has made progress in reducing tobacco consumption over the years, Dr Naveen cited data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2) that revealed that 8.8% of adults in the State use tobacco, lower than the national average of 28.6%. However, tobacco use remains high among men, with 16.8% reporting consumption of tobacco in some form, compared to 0.7% among women.
In Bengaluru
In Bengaluru, tobacco is estimated to account for 6,368 of the 15,693 new cancer cases expected this year. Tobacco-related cancers are also projected to contribute to 44.6% of all cancer deaths in the city, the doctor said.
The most common tobacco-related cancers seen among men in Bengaluru are cancers of the lung, mouth and tongue, while among women, cancers of the lung, mouth and oesophagus predominate.
Apart from cancer, tobacco consumption also contributes to several other serious health conditions including heart disease, respiratory illnesses, sleep disturbances, urinary bladder disorders, impotence in men
In women, tobacco use is associated with menstrual irregularities, stillbirths, low birth weight infants and increased risk of cervical cancer, Dr. Naveen said..
Theme this year
“This year’s World No Tobacco Day theme, “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction,” seeks to draw attention to marketing tactics that promote tobacco and nicotine products, particularly among young people,” he said.
“Stronger awareness campaigns, early detection programmes and sustained tobacco-control measures are essential to reduce the burden of tobacco-related diseases in the State. With a majority of tobacco-related illnesses and deaths being preventable, we urge the public to avoid tobacco in all forms,” the doctor added.
Published – May 30, 2026 09:58 pm IST
