Parliament data shows steady rise in incidence and mortality over five years
Centre expands screening, treatment network under National Cancer Control prog
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir’s cancer burden continues to rise, with the Union Government estimating that the Union Territory will record 14,493 new cancer cases and 8,006 cancer-related deaths in 2025, underscoring the growing challenge posed by non-communicable diseases despite the expansion of screening and treatment facilities.
The figures were shared in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav in response to a question by MP Neeraj Shekhar, based on estimates prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE).
The data indicates that the annual cancer burden in Jammu and Kashmir has shown a consistent upward trajectory over the past five years. The estimated number of new cases has increased from 13,060 in 2021 to 13,395 in 2022, 13,744 in 2023, 14,112 in 2024, before reaching 14,493 in 2025—an increase of nearly 1,450 additional patients annually during the period.
A similar trend is evident in cancer mortality. Estimated deaths have risen from 7,211 in 2021 to 7,396 in 2022, 7,592 in 2023, 7,796 in 2024, and are projected to reach 8,006 in 2025, reflecting an increase of almost 800 deaths over five years.
The figures form part of the Centre’s assessment of the country’s cancer burden, which shows India reporting an estimated 14.1 lakh new cancer cases and 9.2 lakh cancer-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, based on GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates.
The report further states that 10.6 per cent of Indians—roughly one in every ten people—are at risk of developing cancer before the age of 75, highlighting the need for stronger preventive healthcare, early diagnosis and timely treatment.
Among the neighbouring regions, Punjab is projected to record 43,196 new cancer cases and 24,886 deaths in 2025, while Himachal Pradesh is expected to register 9,761 cases and 5,382 deaths. Ladakh is estimated to report 326 new cases and 185 deaths.
Responding to concerns over the rising disease burden, the Centre said that while healthcare remains primarily the responsibility of states and Union Territories, it continues to provide financial and technical assistance under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
The Ministry informed Parliament that the programme focuses on prevention, early detection, diagnosis, referral and treatment of cancers and other non-communicable diseases. Across the country, 770 District NCD Clinics and 6,410 NCD Clinics at Community Health Centres have been established, while 524 Day Care Cancer Centres are operational in district hospitals to decentralise cancer treatment.
It also said that population-based screening for oral, breast and cervical cancers is being carried out for all individuals aged 30 years and above through trained frontline health workers under the National Health Mission.
Further strengthening tertiary cancer care, the Centre has approved 39 specialised institutions, including 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres, to improve access to advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Health experts have consistently maintained that early screening, lifestyle modifications, tobacco control, timely diagnosis and improved access to specialised treatment remain the most effective tools for reducing cancer-related deaths, particularly as India’s cancer burden continues to rise.
