India, March 1 -- Mizoram has the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in India, with Aizawl district recording an age-adjusted incidence rate of 269.4 per one lakh men, a senior official of the state's Health and Family Welfare Department said on Sunday.

Stomach and lung cancers are the leading causes of cancer in the state, the official said, attributing the high burden largely to widespread tobacco and betel nut consumption, dietary habits and genetic factors.

To strengthen the healthcare system, the Mizoram government on January 23 signed an Externally Aided Project loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank for a programme titled "Supporting Public Health Care System Strengthening to Achieve Universal Healthcare for Miz...