More than 32,000 cancer cases have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir in the last three years, with lung, breast, oral, cervical, prostate and pancreatic cancers being the most common.
Replying to two separate starred and unstarred questions tabled in the J&K Assembly by Waheed Para (PDP) and Ahsan Pardesi, the health minister Sakina Itoo informed that 32,425 cancer cases were recorded in J&K in the past 3 years.
In the Kashmir Division, 25,621 cancer cases were reported during 2022, 2023 and 2024. The year 2022 alone saw 8,021 patients, including 4,333 male and 3,688 female. The number climbed to 8,621 in 2023, with 4,685 males and 3,936 females affected. In 2024, the tally rose further to 8,979 cases, comprising 4,789 males and 4,190 females, indicating a steady and troubling rise.
In the Jammu Division, 6,804 cancer cases were recorded over the last three years. The year 2023 registered 2,036 cases, including 1,177 males and 859 females. In 2024, the number increased to 2,187, with 1,248 males and 939 females. By 2025, the figure had surged to 2,581, with 1,116 males and a significantly higher 1,465 females, reflecting a noticeable spike among women.
Around 10,000 cancer cases were registered across the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Kashmir, Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, and GMC Srinagar in 2025. The SKIMS alone has recorded over 16,000 cases in the last three years.
Across Jammu and Kashmir, 10,657 cancer cases were reported in 2023, while the figure rose to 11,166 in 2024. While giving details about the cases, she said that 5,108 cases were registered at SKIMS Soura in 2023, 5,387 in 2024 (an increase of 5.4%), and 5,791 in 2025 (an increase of 7.5%). She said that 1,767 cases were registered in 2023 at GMC Jammu, followed by 2,206 in 2024, and 2,569 in 2025.
The minister said that at GMC Srinagar, 1,159 cases were registered in 2022, 1,640 in 2023, 1,659 in 2024, and 1,558 in 2025.
The government identified Lung, Breast, Oral, Cervical, Prostate and Pancreatic cancers as the most commonly detected types. It further noted that various gastro-intestinal malignancies, including cancers of the oesophagus, stomach and colorectal region, are also widely reported.
In the Jammu region, specialized oncology services are available at GMC Jammu and the State Cancer Institute, Jammu, along with associated hospitals. In the Kashmir region, advanced and specialized cancer care is provided at SKIMS, Soura. Well-established oncology facilities exist at Government Medical Colleges in both Jammu and Srinagar.
The minister said that at present the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan facility is available at SKIMS. No such facility exists at GMC Srinagar or its associated hospitals. However, the Health and Medical Education Department has recently authorized the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) to procure a PET scan unit costing Rs.16 crore for GMC Srinagar. The facility remains unavailable at any district hospital or Sub-District Hospital. In the Jammu Division, PET scan services are available at the State Cancer Institute, Jammu. In addition, such services are being provided in the private sector by Narayana Super Speciality Hospital at Katra and the American Oncology Institute at ASCOM.