Study finds disparities in cancer research in India since 2001 despite economic growth

New Delhi: India had a largely inconsistent growth in clinical research related to cancer since 2001, despite a strong economic growth, suggesting that development could be a contributing factor towards disparities among the low and middle-income countries in cancer research, according to a new study.

Cancer cases and deaths are projected to surge in the coming decades with low and middle-income countries expected to bear a disproportionate burden.

However, researchers, including those from the the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group, said that clinical trials of cancer are disproportionally concentrated in high-income countries, even as previous evidence suggests an increase in trials among low and middle-income nations.

The study, published in the journal 'CANCER', looked at disparities in the numbers and complexity of clinical trials over time and according to economic changes. Datasets from World Bank and ClinicalTrials.gov were analysed.

Between 2001 and 2020, a total of 16,977 cancer clinical trials were found to have been registered in low and middle-income countries -- an increase from 1,053 during 2001-2005 to 7,661 during 2016-2020.

In India, 54 clinical trials were registered between 2001 and 2005. The figure was seen to increase to 126 during 2016-2020. A total of 506 clinical trials related to cancer had been registered in the country over the entire study period.

"(Clinical research) development has been unequal among LMICs. Strong EG could be a contributing factor but only to some extent," the authors wrote.

"Only China and South Korea meaningfully developed independent and high-complexity clinical research," they said.

However, south and southeast Asian countries, including India, Thailand and Vietnam -- also showing a strong economic development -- "had mainly inconsistent growth in clinical trials", the researchers said.

South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico were found to have registered an increased number of clinical trials on cancer, despite relative economic stagnation, they said.

The team added that in Africa, Egypt showed strong economic growth with a corresponding increase in clinical trials, but no such correlation was seen in South Africa.

The findings suggest that economic growth is a contributing factor towards increase in cancer-related clinical trials among low and middle-income countries.

The study can "offer valuable insights for LMICs (low and middle-income countries) aiming to enhance clinical research," said senior author Max S. Mano, of the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group and Einstein Hospital Israelita, in Brazil.

"These data reinforce the need for initiatives to support cancer research in LMICs," the authors wrote.