Alarming rise in Cancer cases across Kashmir sparks health crisis concerns
Young adults among growing victims
By: Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: Cancer is emerging as a major public health challenge in Kashmir, with an increasing number of cases being reported annually across the Valley. Recent data from tertiary healthcare centres, including Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), suggests that over 4,000 new cases are diagnosed each year — a number that experts believe is only a fraction of the actual burden due to underreporting and poor screening in rural areas.
Doctors are observing a disturbing trend: cancer is no longer limited to the elderly. A growing number of young adults, even in their 30s and 40s, are being diagnosed with various types of cancer. Among the most commonly reported are breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, lung cancer, and oesophageal cancer.
Medical professionals attribute the rise to several risk factors including high tobacco consumption, increased use of chemical pesticides, unhealthy dietary patterns, lack of physical activity, genetic susceptibility, and exposure to environmental pollutants. The frequent consumption of salt-rich and preserved foods in the region is also believed to be contributing to the surge.
Healthcare workers have expressed concern over the fact that a significant number of patients seek treatment only after their illness has reached an advanced stage, reducing survival rates and complicating treatment outcomes.
One of the major challenges remains the limited availability of early screening programmes and diagnostic infrastructure outside major cities.
Doctors also warn that the economic burden of treatment is forcing many families to abandon therapy midway. While schemes like Ayushman Bharat provide some relief, they do not fully cover the high costs of prolonged cancer treatment, especially when travel to outside states for advanced care is required.
Certain districts, including Baramulla, Pulwama, Anantnag, Budgam, and Kulgam, have shown a disproportionately higher incidence of cases. However, the absence of a comprehensive regional cancer registry continues to hinder efforts to understand and combat the disease effectively.
Medical experts are urging the government to implement immediate interventions such as district-level oncology centres, awareness drives, free cancer screening camps, and stricter regulation of pesticide use and environmental pollution.
They stress that without swift and sustained public health action, Kashmir may be heading towards a full-blown cancer crisis
