The Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar has reported a sharp rise in colon cancer cases in Kashmir, with nearly 30% of colonoscopy patients diagnosed with the disease. Many others have precancerous polyps, signaling a growing health crisis. In contrast, developed countries report a detection rate of less than 1%.
Doctors link the surge to lifestyle factors like poor diet, obesity, and environmental hazards, including pesticide-laden food and unregulated chemicals in the food supply. Ineffective cold chains for imported food further compound the issue.
Between 2018 and 2022, colon cancer accounted for 6.14% of cancer cases in Kashmiri men and 7.01% in women, while rectal cancer comprised 4.42% and 4.71%, respectively.
Overall, Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 60,000 new cancer cases in the past five years, with nearly 50,000 cases in Kashmir alone over seven years. The most common cancers include lung, breast, ovarian, gastrointestinal, and leukemia.
Stomach cancer is the most prevalent among men (12.8%), while breast cancer leads among women (11%). Experts attribute the rising cases to aging populations, tobacco use, poor diets, and environmental pollutants.
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