Kashmir witnesses sharp rise in cancer, Over 50,000 cases in seven years

September 25, 2025 by News Desk

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Jammu Kashmir has seen a steady increase in cancer cases post 2018, highlighting the growing need for specialized treatment facilities in the region.

According to the Minister of Health and Medical Education, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 64,463 cancer cases between 2018 and 2024, with 50,551 cases from Kashmir and 13,912 from Jammu.

Looking at earlier years, studies conducted at a tertiary care center in Srinagar show a gradual increase in cancer incidence between 2012 and 2014, particularly among women, with breast cancer cases rising sharply nationwide during this period. From 2015 to 2018, the number of cancer patients in Kashmir was 1,371 over the four years.

According to a study conducted at a tertiary care center in Srinagar, the number of cancer patients recorded annually was 2015: 230 cases, 2016: 239 cases, 2017: 391 cases

Another analysis between 2016 and 2020 found that out of 62,974 biopsies and specimens, 6,258 were diagnosed as malignancies, with 5,392 cases considered for final analysis, representing 8.56% of the total samples examined.

From 2018 onwards, cancer cases in Kashmir have seen a drastic rise with over 64,000 cases reported in the region as per figures available with The Kashmiriyat.

The data shows annual cases stood at 6,649 in 2018, 6,374 in 2019, 6,113 in 2020, 7,090 in 2021, 7,846 in 2022, 8,124 in 2023, and 8,355 in 2024 in Kashmir region. In Jammu, cases were: 2,334 in 2018, 2,099 in 2019, 1,718 in 2020, 1,762 in 2021, 1,726 in 2022, 2,036 in 2023, and 2,237 in 2024. The government noted that new cancer cases have been increasing at a rate of 2–3 percent annually over the last three years.

Currently, patients in J&K have access to specialized treatment at SKIMS Srinagar and GMC Jammu. SKIMS offers radiation oncology, critical care ICU, neuro ICU, CVTS ICU, pulmonary ICU, and pediatric ICU. GMC Jammu provides OPD services, chemotherapy, PET-CT scans, brachytherapy, radiology tests, digital radiography, and colposcopy.

The State Cancer Institute (SCI) at SKIMS Soura, operational since December 5, 2020, hosts a Day Care facility for medical oncology patients, clinical hematology, and radiation oncology, with inpatient services. The third floor is prepared for a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) facility, with recruitment of specialized staff underway. A dedicated operation theatre for cancer patients at SKIMS Soura is also nearing completion. Radiation oncology facilities are ready for BMT services but are awaiting manpower recruitment.

In Jammu, three new operation theatres and a 10-bedded ICU at the State Cancer Institute are expected to be completed by March 2025.

The government is also focusing on decentralizing cancer care, establishing chemotherapy facilities at District Day Centers, and planning to expand cancer care services across all 20 districts of Jammu Kashmir to make treatment more accessible for patients across the Union Territory.