Colon cancer soars in Kashmir, young population at high risk

Srinagar, Mar 14: Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, a major center for Gastrointestinal diagnostics in Kashmir has flagged an alarming trend – nearly 30 per cent of the people undergoing colonoscopy at its Department of Gastroenterology are diagnosed with "confirmed colon cancer".

In addition, many more are seen to have precancerous growths or polyps – a looming threat of cancer. Although no estimate of cancer detection rate through colonoscopies is available for India, in developed countries, less than 1 per cent of colonoscopies find a cancerous growth.

The detection rates vary between regions depending on who is advised colonoscopy. Doctors said while the cancer detection through colonoscopy may be higher for places like Kashmir where avenues are limited and doctors prescribe colonoscopy usually after they suspect a colon malignancy. Yet, doctors at GMC Srinagar’s Department of Gastroenterology believe that “much has worsened over the past few years, and over the past year particularly”.

Prof Showkal Kadla, Head Department of Gastroenterology at GMC Srinagar said that a significant proportion of the patients they see colon cancers in are the young generation.

“The trends of colon cancer are changing, we have people in their 40s and sometimes even in their 30s with colon cancer now,” Prof Kadla said.

He said earlier, colon cancer was usually associated with ageing population majorly.

He called the findings at the Colonoscopy Lab of GMC Srinagar “heart breaking”. “Now we have one out of every three colonoscopies finding cancer, and many more having precancerous polyps and growths,” he said.

Colon Cancer is associated with a number of factors, lifestyle running as a thread through the risks.

A diet poor in fibre and rich in processed foods and meat is associated with a higher incidence of colon cancer.

Similarly, obesity has also been linked to changes in gut bacteria, which in turn causes inflammation in the gut and is a precursor to colon cancer. Some colon Cancers have a genetic link and may cause a person to have an early onset.

Prof Kadla said the dietary habits of many young people in Kashmir were a ‘ticking bomb’. “Look at our diabetes figures, obesity figures, and now cancer figures. We have to look at our diet,” he said.

Many doctors link the rise in cancer cases in Kashmir to the ‘unimaginable pesticide content’ in the food chain.

“There is hardly any testing being carried out to check for pesticides in vegetables, fruits and chemicals in meats, which is procured from other parts and reaches here through ineffective cold chains,” a senior doctor at GMC Srinagar said.

As per Population based Cancer Registry of Kashmir, from 2018 to 2022, Colon Cancer formed 6.14 per cent of Cancers in males and 7.01 per cent of Cancers in females. In addition, Cancer of Rectum forms 4.42 per cent of cancers in males and 4.71 per cent in females.