More than 32,000 cancer cases have been documented across Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, with nearly four out of five recorded in the Kashmir Valley, Health Minister Sakeena Itoo told the Assembly on Friday.

She shared the data while responding to an unstarred question raised by Waheed Ur Rehman Para, noting a pronounced rise in cases across both divisions.

Kashmir accounts for majority of cases

According to figures compiled by the Health and Medical Education Department, the Kashmir division registered 25,621 cancer cases between 2022 and 2024, representing almost 79% of the total.

Cases in the division have risen steadily:

  • 8,021 cases in 2022
  • 8,621 in 2023
  • 8,979 in 2024

In the Jammu division, 6,804 cases were recorded between 2023 and 2025, also reflecting an increasing trend:

  • 2,036 cases in 2023
  • 2,187 in 2024
  • 2,581 in 2025

Most common cancer types

The minister said the cancers most frequently detected in the region include lung, breast, oral, cervical and prostate malignancies.

Gastro-intestinal cancers – such as oesophageal, stomach and colorectal tumours – are also commonly reported.

Cancer care facilities in J-K

Itoo said comprehensive cancer treatment is provided at key institutions including the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences and the State Cancer Institute at Government Medical College Jammu. These centres offer multidisciplinary care spanning medical, surgical and radiation oncology, as well as clinical haematology.

Facilities available at major institutions include PET-CT, CT scan units, CT simulators, advanced radiotherapy systems and other specialised oncology services.

The minister added that patients are managed across a network of tertiary, district and community-level hospitals, with referrals made to higher centres when necessary.

Focus on awareness and early detection

Itoo said public education remains central to the government’s strategy, with campaigns highlighting early warning signs and modifiable risk factors such as tobacco use, diet and lifestyle habits.

The aim, she said, is to encourage prevention and ensure timely diagnosis.

Expansion of diagnostic services

The PET scan facility currently available at SKIMS, Soura, is set to be augmented by another unit being procured for Government Medical College, Srinagar, at a cost of ₹16 crore.

In the private sector, PET scan services are offered by Narayana Super Specialty Hospital Kakryal and the American Oncology Institute ASCOM in the Jammu division, the minister said.

(PTI)