Cancer surge alarms J&K: 38 cases a day on average, 67,000 in 5 years
Srinagar, Dec 7: Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a worrying rise in cancer incidence, with official figures revealing that an average of 38 new cases are being detected every day.
Data shared by the Union Health Ministry shows that the region recorded 14,112 cancer cases in 2024 alone, taking the total number of reported cases over the past five years to 67,037.
The trend has shown no sign of decline.
In 2020, J&K registered 12,726 cancer cases, followed by 13,060 in 2021. The number climbed further to 13,395 in 2022 and 13,744 in 2023 before reaching 14,112 this year, indicating a steady year-on-year increase. Health professionals describe the pattern as alarming, particularly because a significant proportion of cases continue to be diagnosed at advanced stages.
A closer look at the data reveals distinct gender-based cancer patterns.
Stomach cancer is currently the most common malignancy among males in the region, accounting for nearly one-fifth of cases, followed by lung cancer, which represents 16 percent of reported male cancers. Among women, breast cancer remains the dominant form, constituting 19 percent of all cases, with stomach cancer emerging as the second most prevalent at around 9 percent. Esophagus and colon cancers together contribute a considerable share of the total cancer load among both genders.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), several factors are driving the rise in numbers. Greater accessibility to diagnostic facilities, improved reporting systems, increased life expectancy and a growing elderly population have led to better detection. Alongside this, lifestyle shifts are playing a major role, with tobacco and alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity and diets high in salt, sugar and saturated fats increasingly linked to cancer prevalence.
To address the rising disease burden, the Department of Health and Family Welfare is supporting states and Union Territories under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, part of the National Health Mission. The initiative focuses on strengthening screening, early diagnosis and treatment services while enhancing health infrastructure and human resources. Health officials say that public awareness and preventive behaviour remain essential to reduce late detection and improve patient outcomes.
Doctors warn that the rising curve demands sustained intervention, community-level screening and stronger emphasis on lifestyle modification. As Jammu and Kashmir continues to add nearly four dozen cancer cases every day, the figures serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for preventive action, more research into risk factors and wider access to specialised care across the region.
