Cancer prevention and early detection must become central to India’s healthcare strategy, with greater emphasis on routine screening rather than symptom-driven diagnosis, leading oncologists, radiologists and laboratory experts said during a webinar on “Prevention and Early Detection of Cancer” organised by Mahajan Imaging & Labs.Reinforcing this shift towards preventive healthcare, the diagnostic network reported a 32% increase in cancer-related diagnostic investigations across its centres in Delhi-NCR between June 2025 and June 2026.The data also showed a growing uptake of preventive screening for key cancers. Pap smear tests increased by 83%, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests by 280%, and mammography examinations by 26%, reflecting greater participation in age-appropriate screening among both women and men.Speaking during the webinar, Harsh Mahajan, founder and chairman of Mahajan Imaging & Labs, said the rise in preventive diagnostic investigations reflected growing awareness about the importance of early detection. However, he added, awareness alone was not enough.“Cancer screening must become a routine part of healthcare rather than something people consider only after symptoms appear,” he said. Published - July 30, 2026 07:03 pm IST