The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched a dedicated initiative to address the rising burden of gastrointestinal cancers, particularly stomach cancer, in the Kashmir Valley. While breast and lung cancers are among the most common cancers in India, Kashmir faces a distinct challenge with a high prevalence of stomach, oesophageal, and colorectal cancers.
Cancer Burden in Jammu & Kashmir
India records over 14 lakh cancer cases annually, and Jammu & Kashmir reported more than 67,000 cases between 2018 and 2024. According to ICMR, gastrointestinal cancers, especially stomach cancer, are highly prevalent in the Kashmir Valley, followed by oesophageal and colorectal cancers. Factors such as traditional dietary practices, Helicobacter pylori infection, tobacco use, genetic susceptibility, and lifestyle changes like obesity and physical inactivity contribute to this high burden.
ICMR's Special Initiative
To combat this growing health crisis, ICMR has invited research teams from Jammu & Kashmir to develop and test a model for large-scale cancer prevention and screening through the public healthcare system. The initiative focuses on oral, breast, cervical, and gastrointestinal cancers. Under the programme:
- Adults aged 40 years and above will be screened for gastrointestinal cancers.
- Women aged 30 years and above will be screened for breast cancer.
- Sexually active women aged 30-60 years will be screened for cervical cancer.
- Adults aged 18 years and above will be screened for oral cancer.
Screening will be conducted through district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
Expert Insights
Dr Rommel Tickoo, senior director of internal medicine at Max Hospital, Saket, emphasised that early detection through timely screening, especially among people over 40 and those with risk factors, can significantly improve survival rates and reduce cancer-related deaths in the region. He highlighted the combination of traditional dietary practices, Helicobacter pylori infection, tobacco use, genetic susceptibility, and lifestyle factors as key contributors to the high cancer burden.
Programme Goals and Implementation
A major focus of the initiative is to improve screening coverage, ensure early diagnosis, and link individuals who test positive to treatment services. The programme will involve healthcare workers and communities to encourage participation in cancer prevention and screening. The four-year project aims to develop an evidence-based model for prevention, screening, early diagnosis, and treatment that can be integrated into the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) and potentially scaled up across Jammu & Kashmir.
This comprehensive approach is expected to reduce the cancer burden in the region and serve as a replicable model for other parts of India facing similar challenges.
