Jammu, Feb 13: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded over 25,600 cancer cases in the last three years with lung, breast and oral cancers emerging as the most common malignancies, the government informed the Legislative Assembly on Friday.
In a written reply to People’s Democratic Party legislator Waheed-Ur-Rehman Para, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo said the Union Territory reported 10,657 cancer cases in 2023, which increased to 11,166 in 2024.
According to the data tabled in the House, Jammu division accounted for 8,979 cases last year while Kashmir division recorded 4,789 cases. The total number of cancer cases between 2022 and 2024 stands at 25,621.
The minister said gastro-intestinal malignancies, including those affecting the esophagus, stomach and colorectal region, besides lung, breast, oral, cervical, prostate and pancreatic cancers, are the most commonly detected forms of the disease.
“No specific disease of uncommon or public health significance has been reported from any district,” she said.
Responding to concerns over treatment infrastructure, Itoo said comprehensive oncology services are available at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, State Cancer Institute Jammu and Government Medical College Srinagar.
However, in a significant disclosure, the government admitted that PET Scan facility — crucial for accurate cancer staging and treatment planning — is not available at GMC Srinagar. The department has recently authorised J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited to procure a PET Scan unit costing Rs 16 crore for the institution.
The minister informed the House that specialist oncology services are currently available only at Government Medical Colleges and are not present at district or sub-district hospitals.
“Patients are referred to GMCs and other tertiary care institutions for specialised treatment,” she said, adding that in the private sector, PET Scan facilities are available at Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Katra and American Oncology Institute in Jammu.
Detailing the preventive measures, the government said it is implementing the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPCDCS) besides conducting screening camps in Samba and Kathua in collaboration with AIIMS Vijayapur.
In a significant development, a high-level meeting chaired by a NITI Aayog member and attended by representatives from ICMR, Tata Memorial Hospital and PGI Chandigarh was recently held to formulate cancer prevention and treatment policies specific to Jammu and Kashmir.
The government also informed the House that emphasis is being laid on public education regarding early warning signs of cancer and modifiable risk factors including tobacco cessation and healthy lifestyle modifications.
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