Kashmir’s leading tertiary care hospital, Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, has registered over 5,200 cases of cancer this year alone, while over 50,000 cases have been recorded at the institute since 2014.
According to details obtained by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a total of 5,200 new cancer registrations have been made at SKIMS Soura this year so far.
Since 2014, the institute has documented 50,302 cases of cancer.
The annual breakdown of cases shows 3,940 cases registered in 2014, 4,417 in 2015, 4,320 in 2016, 4,352 in 2017, 4,816 in 2018, 4,337 in 2019, 3,814 in 2020, 4,727 in 2021, 5,271 in 2022 and over 5,200 cases this year.
Officials said there has been a steep rise in cancer cases in Kashmir. Among men, lung cancer is the most prevalent, while breast cancer is increasingly common among women.
They said the rise in male cancer cases is primarily due to smoking, alongside other factors such as family history, obesity and age.
Early detection of cancer is critical, officials said, adding that timely treatment can save lives.
“Cancer is a multi-dimensional disease, with risk factors including an ageing population, sedentary lifestyles, tobacco use, unhealthy diets, and air pollution,” they added.
Doctors have urged people with symptoms of cancer to seek medical attention promptly, as early treatment can prevent the disease from advancing.
They said quality treatments are available, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, at SKIMS.
The hospital’s infrastructure is continuously being enhanced to ensure better care for patients, doctors added.
Data from the Union Health Ministry reveals that 51,577 cancer cases were reported in Jammu Kashmir between 2019 and 2022. The annual figures include 12,396 cases in 2019, 12,726 in 2020, 13,060 in 2021, and 13,395 in 2022.
There have been many cancer-related deaths in Jammu Kashmir, with 35,623 fatalities recorded between 2018 and 2022.
These include 6,824 deaths in 2018, 7,003 in 2019, 7,189 in 2020, 7,211 in 2021, and 7,396 in 2022.
A study conducted by SKIMS in 2012 said the rising incidence of cancer is due to dietary practices, lifestyle choices and the consumption of foods with high salt content—(KNO)