Childhood cancer cases on steady rise in Karnataka; 1,882 estimated cases in 2025, with Bengaluru at 349
The Hindu
Childhood cancer cases are rising in Karnataka, with an estimated 1,882 cases expected in 2025, highlighting urgent healthcare needs.
Karnataka is witnessing a gradual year-on-year rise in childhood cancer cases, underscoring the growing burden of paediatric malignancies in the State.
According to data from the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO), Karnataka’s estimated new cancer cases among children and adolescents in 2025 stood at 1,882, up from 1,801 in 2023 and 1,828 in 2024. Of the 1,882 estimated cases in 2025, Bengaluru has contributed an estimated 349 cases, reflecting an upward trajectory over the years.
In 2023, Karnataka recorded 1,801 childhood cancer cases - 938 boys and 863 girls. The following year saw a rise to 1,828 cases, with 952 boys and 876 girls. The estimated 2025 figures show a further increase, with 966 boys and 916 girls, indicating sustained growth in incidence across the State, said Naveen T., director (additional charge) at Kidwai.
Speaking to The Hindu, ahead of the International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) observed on February 15, Dr. Naveen said that childhood cancers make up about 2.1% of all new cancers detected annually in Karnataka, where roughly 89,215 new cancer cases were recorded in 2025. “In Bengaluru, children are estimated to account for 2.1% of the city’s total cancer burden, with around 16,376 new cases detected in 2025 of which 349 are childhood cancers,” he said.
In Bengaluru, 328 cases were recorded in 2023 (167 boys and 161 girls) and 338 in 2024 (173 boys and 166 girls). The estimated 349 cases (178 boys; 171 girls) for 2025 reflect a gradual increase in reporting. “While absolute numbers are small compared with adult cancers, the increasing trend calls for urgent attention,” he pointed out.
At KMIO, the State’s apex Regional Cancer Centre, paediatric cancer caseloads remain significant. In 2024, the institute recorded 648 childhood cancer cases and 74 deaths, while in 2025 it reported 590 new cases and 37 deaths.
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