Kashmir reports 25,621 cases in 2022–24; Jammu logs 6,804 in three years as Lung, Breast and GI cancers top the list
TAUSEEF AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Feb 13: Cancer is tightening its grip across Jammu and Kashmir, with official figures placed before the Legislative Assembly revealing that more than 36,000 cases have been recorded in the past three years alone, exposing a worrying upward trend and significant gaps in specialized care at the grassroots level.
The figures were disclosed by the Health and Medical Education Department in response to an Un-Starred Question (A.Q. No. 600) tabled by Pulwama MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, who sought division-wise data on cancer cases, commonly detected terminal diseases, availability of specialist doctors, PET scan facilities and steps taken for prevention and early detection.
The government’s reply paints a stark picture. In the Kashmir Division, 25,621 cancer cases were reported during 2022, 2023 and 2024. The year 2022 alone saw 8,021 patients, including 4,333 males and 3,688 females. The number climbed to 8,621 in 2023, with 4,685 males and 3,936 females affected. In 2024, the tally rose further to 8,979 cases, comprising 4,789 males and 4,190 females, indicating a steady and troubling rise.
In the Jammu Division, 6,804 cancer cases were recorded over the last three years. The year 2023 registered 2,036 cases, including 1,177 males and 859 females. In 2024, the number increased to 2,187, with 1,248 males and 939 females. By 2025, the figure had surged to 2,581, with 1,116 males and a significantly higher 1,465 females, reflecting a noticeable spike among women.
Across Jammu and Kashmir as a whole, 10,657 cancer cases were reported in 2023, while the figure rose to 11,166 in 2024, underscoring an escalating burden of non-communicable diseases in the Union Territory.
The government identified Lung, Breast, Oral, Cervical, Prostate and Pancreatic cancers as the most commonly detected types. It further noted that various gastro-intestinal malignancies, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach and colorectal region, are also widely reported. While responding to a query on uncommon diseases or infections of public health significance, the government stated that no specific uncommon disease has been reported, but reiterated that different forms of cancers, particularly gastro-intestinal malignancies, continue to dominate case loads.
As the numbers rise, the question of infrastructure and access to treatment becomes critical. According to the official reply, cancer patients and those suffering from other terminal illnesses are managed at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Government Medical Colleges and their associated hospitals, as well as District Hospitals and Community Health Centres. However, wherever specialized treatment is required, patients are referred to GMCs and other tertiary care institutions.
In the Jammu region, specialized oncology services are available at GMC Jammu and the State Cancer Institute, Jammu, along with associated hospitals. In the Kashmir region, advanced and specialized cancer care is provided at SKIMS, Soura. Well-established oncology facilities exist at Government Medical Colleges in both Jammu and Srinagar. Cancer care services are being delivered at GMC Jammu, the State Cancer Institute Jammu, Bone and Joint Hospital, SMGS Hospital, and at GMC Srinagar through SMHS Hospital. These institutions function as leading centres for comprehensive cancer management with support from allied departments. However, the government clarified that specialist oncology services are presently available only at GMCs and are not available at district hospitals or Community Health Centres.
The availability of PET scan facilities — crucial for advanced cancer diagnosis and staging — also reflects this centralization. At present, the PET scan facility is available at SKIMS, Soura. No such facility exists at GMC Srinagar or its associated hospitals. However, the Health and Medical Education Department has recently authorized the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) to procure a PET scan unit costing ₹16 crore for GMC Srinagar. The facility remains unavailable at any district hospital or Sub-District Hospital. In the Jammu Division, PET scan services are available at the State Cancer Institute, Jammu. In addition, such services are being provided in the private sector by Narayana Super Speciality Hospital at Kakryal (Katra) and the American Oncology Institute at ASCOM.
Highlighting preventive and early detection measures, the government stated that institutions such as SKIMS and the State Cancer Institute at GMC Jammu provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care encompassing Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Clinical Hematology. These institutes are equipped with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including PET-CT, CT scans, dedicated CT simulators and modern radiotherapy systems.
Emphasis, the reply noted, is being laid on public education about early warning signs of cancer and modifiable risk factors such as tobacco cessation, healthy dietary habits and lifestyle modification to facilitate prevention and early treatment. Awareness generation and screening are being carried out through outpatient services and health camps. Early diagnosis is undertaken using X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, endoscopy, EGD, colonoscopy, colposcopy, EBUS and histopathology. The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPCDCS) is being implemented, and patients requiring radiotherapy or advanced oncological care are referred to higher tertiary care centres. National and international cancer awareness days are observed in collaboration with NGOs, nursing institutions, educational colleges, and through print and social media to promote prevention and early detection.
Cancer screening camps have been conducted in districts Samba and Kathua in collaboration with AIIMS Vijaypur, and similar efforts are being extended to other districts.
The government also informed the Assembly that a high-level meeting chaired by a Member of NITI Aayog, attended by representatives from ICMR, DHR, Tata Memorial Hospital, PGI Chandigarh and other leading cancer institutes, was convened to formulate cancer prevention and treatment policies for Jammu and Kashmir.
The detailed reply, issued under the signature of the Minister In-charge, Health and Medical Education Department, underscores a sobering reality: while tertiary care infrastructure is expanding and policy discussions are underway, the rising numbers signal that cancer is no longer a distant threat but an unfolding public health crisis demanding urgent, decentralized and sustained intervention.
