AN UNSPOKEN PANDEMIC | J&K's grim cancer toll: 80,000 cases in 6 years

Srinagar, Mar 9:  Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under a severe cancer burden, with close to 80,000 cases recorded in the Union Territory over the last six years.

According to doctors, fueling this alarming rise are sedentary lifestyles, obesity, and the consumption of chemical-infested food items, among other factors.

From 2018-19 to 2023-24, a total of 80,017 cancer cases have been recorded in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh.

An analysis of data from the National Cancer Registry Programme Report reveals a concerning upward trend, with the 2023-24 fiscal year witnessing the highest number of cases at 14,112 – a staggering 2.7% increase from the previous year.

The year-on-year increase in cancer cases is a grave cause for concern.

In 2022-23, the number stood at 13,744, reflecting a 2.6 percent rise from 2021-22, when 13,395 cases were detected.

The Union Health Ministry's data further highlights the severity of the crisis.

In 2020-21, there were 13,060 cases, marking a 2.5 percent jump from the previous year's 12,980 cases in 2019-20.

Compared to 2018-19, when 12,726 cases were recorded, the increase in 2019-20 was 2.6 percent.

“The continuous upward trend in cancer cases is deeply alarming," said Dr Sheikh Zahoor, an oncologist in Kashmir. “Sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, and exposure to chemicals in food are significant risk factors fueling this crisis.”

Further dissecting the figures, Kashmir's main two tertiary care healthcare institutions, Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital are also recording an upward in cancer cases.

As per the figures, in just two months 1700 plus cancer cases have registered in SMHS.

According to the gathered data, SKIMS has documented a staggering 44,112 cancer cases from 2013 to 2023, indicating a profound health crisis unfolding in the Valley. SMHS hospital has reported 6379 cases from 2017 to 2023, emphasising the magnitude of the issue.

A majority of cancer patients are seeking treatment in these two hospitals, shedding light on the escalating crisis in Kashmir.

SMHS Hospital has not escaped the alarming trend, recording 188 cancer-related patient deaths and 6379 cancer cases between 2017 and October 2023.

While the number of cancer cases is increasing in Kashmir, and there is only one PET scan in the government sector  With only one such machine available at SKIMS Soura, patients at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar face several challenges in accessing timely and accurate cancer diagnostics.

Experts stress the urgent need for a multipronged strategy focusing on promoting physical activity, healthy eating, and raising awareness about the hazards of consuming chemically contaminated food products.

Cancer is a multi-factorial illness, with ageing populations, sedentary lifestyles, cigarette use, poor diet, and air pollution among the risk factors.

People, healthcare professionals, and the government share the concern over the rising trend in cancer cases in J&K.

In the past, several studies have been conducted to identify the factors that may be contributing to the rise in these cases.

A 2012 study of the SKIMS attributed the rising cancer incidence to “dietary practices and lifestyle choices” as well as the intake of foods with high salt content.

Numerous dyes are suspected to cause cancer in humans and are frequently used in the food industry.

Additionally, some of these dyes like carmoisine and tartrazine are used in Kashmir as colouring agents in certain foods, spices, and sauces.

Food adulteration and contamination have grown in importance as a problem in Kashmir in recent years.

Some of the food products produced by large business companies have even been found to contain hazardous substances.

As a result of this, the High Court in 2014 was compelled to impose severe restrictions on them.