Jammu, Feb 13: More than 32,000 cancer cases have been reported across Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, with nearly 79 per cent of the total cases recorded in the valley alone, Health Minister Sakeena Itoo said on Friday.
Replying to an unstarred question by PDP legislator Waheed Ur Rehman Para in the Assembly, the minister said 25,621 cases were registered in Kashmir division (2022–2024), while 6,804 cases were reported from Jammu division (2023–2025).
She said the most commonly detected cancers include that of lung, breast, oral, cervical and prostate.
Gastro-intestinal malignancies, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach and colorectal region, are also frequently reported, Itoo said.
Sharing the details compiled by the Health and Medical Education Department, the minister said the Kashmir division recorded 8,021 cases in 2022, 8,621 in 2023 and 8,979 in 2024, indicating a steady increase over the years.
In the Jammu division, 2,036 cases were reported in 2023, 2,187 in 2024 and 2,581 cases in 2025, also reflecting a rising trend in reported cases, she said.
On the steps taken for prevention, early, detection and treatment of cancer and other terminal diseases, the minister said various health institutions like the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and the State Cancer Institute (SCI) at Government Medical College, Jammu, provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care encompassing medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, and clinical hematology.
These institutes are equipped with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including PET-CT, CT scan, dedicated CT simulators, modern radiotherapy systems, and other specialised oncology services, she said.
The minister said due emphasis is laid on public education regarding early warning signs of cancer and modifiable risk factors such as tobacco cessation, healthy dietary habits, and lifestyle modification, with a view to facilitating cancer prevention and early treatment.
She said the patients suffering from cancer and other terminal illnesses are managed at SKIMS, Soura, Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) and their associated hospitals, as well as at district hospitals and Community Health Centres (CHCs).
Wherever required, patients are referred to GMCs and other tertiary care institutions for specialised treatment, she said.
The minister said the PET scan facility is available at SKIMS, Soura and another such unit is being procured at a cost of Rs 16 crore for GMC Srinagar. Additionally, PET scan facilities are being provided by Narayana Super Specialty Hospital, Kakryal (Katra) and the American Oncology Institute, ASCOM, in the private sector in Jammu division.
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