Rising incidence linked to sedentary lifestyles, obesity and food contamination

Kashmir’s leading tertiary care hospital, Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, has registered the highest ever 14,112 cases of cancer in 2023-24 so far, while over 78,397 cases have been registered at the institute since 2000.
According to doctors, the main causes behind this alarming rise are sedentary lifestyles, obesity, and the consumption of chemical-infested food items, among other factors. An analysis of data from the National Cancer Registry Programme Report reveals a concerning upward trend, with 2023-24 witnessing the highest number of cases at 14,112 – a staggering 2.7% increase from the previous year.
As per a report published by the Indian Journal of Cancer in April 2014, a total of 24,768 patients with malignancy reported to RCC (SKIMS) from 2000 to 2012. The highest number of patients fall in the age group 65-69 (3245), followed by the 55-59 age group (2925). The mean age is 53 years, and the median age is 56 years. This shows an increase in the occurrence of the disease with increasing age.
As per details, 3,940 cases were registered in 2014, followed by 4,417 in 2015, 4,320 in 2016, 4,352 in 2017, 4,816 in 2018, 4,337 in 2019, 3,814 in 2020, 4,727 in 2021, 5,294 in 2022, and 14,112 cases till March 2024.
Officials said that cancer cases have shown a steep rise in Kashmir, adding that in men, lung cancer is the most prominent one, while women are fast falling prey to breast cancer.
“Smoking is one of the primary reasons for cancer among males, besides family history, obesity, and age, among other factors, responsible for the cancer cases,” they said, adding that early detection of the disease helps provide timely treatment, which ultimately can help save precious lives.
A 2012 study of the SKIMS attributed the rising cancer incidence to “dietary practices and lifestyle choices” as well as the intake of foods with high salt content. Numerous dyes are suspected to cause cancer in humans and are frequently used in the food industry, like carmoisine and tartrazine, which are used in Kashmir as colouring agents in certain foods, spices, and sauces. Food adulteration and contamination have grown in importance as a problem in Kashmir in recent years.
According to the Union Health Ministry, a total of 35,623 people in J&K died of cancer between 2018 and 2022, with 6,824 cancer patients reported to have died in 2018, 7,003 deaths reported in 2019, 7,189 deaths reported in 2020, 7,211 deaths reported in 2021, and 7,396 cancer patient fatalities reported in 2022.
The battle against cancer in Kashmir is formidable, but it is a battle that can be won with collective effort, determination, and foresight. The establishment of a not-for-profit cancer hospital equipped with state-of-the-art facilities is not just a necessity but a moral imperative. It represents an investment in the health and well-being of the people of Kashmir, ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight against cancer.
The writer is a student of B.Sc Nursing, 3rd Semester, at the Ramzaan College of Nursing Galandar Pulwama. He can be reached at [email protected]

Shahid Shafi Rather