The nationwide cancer registration and systematic death registration is poor, particularly in rural India. A house-to-house survey was conducted in Perumal Thevan Patti village in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, to identify existing cancer cases and cancer deaths. Breast, uterus, stomach and rectal cancers were more prevalent. As multiple risk factors contribute to increased cancer prevalence, counseling to reduce pesticide use, tobacco chewing and alcohol consumption is recommended. Maintaining a cancer registry is essential to study carcinogenic exposures. © 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.