Anantnag, Feb 04: The Department of Radiation Oncology at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag has registered around 530 cancer cases in 2024, with stomach cancer being the most common among both males and females.
Dr. Shahid Bashir Wani, Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology, said that stomach cancer has the highest incidence at GMC Anantnag in both genders combined.
“In males, colorectal cancer ranks second, while in females, breast cancer is the second most common. Lung cancer ranks third in both males and females,” he said.
He further said that less common cancers include ovarian and endometrial cancer in females and prostate cancer in males.
“We have recorded a total of 1,750 cancer cases since the department’s inception, with 530 cases registered in 2024 alone,” he added.
Dr. Wani said that a total of 3,000 chemotherapy cycles have been administered so far. A proposal for radiation therapy equipment has been submitted to the administration and is awaiting approval.
“Patients requiring radiation therapy are referred directly to SMHS or SKIMS. Head and neck cancer cases, which require simultaneous chemoradiation, are also sent to higher centers,” he said.
He said that the common modifiable risk factors include smoking, high junk food intake, lack of fruits and vegetables and a sedentary lifestyle. He said that these risk factors can be addressed through community awareness.
Pertinent to mention here, GMC Anantnag serves most districts of South Kashmir and parts of the Pir Panjal region, with patients from these areas seeking treatment at the facility. The patients registered at the Department of Oncology and Radiation may come from various regions, as the hospital caters to the entire South Kashmir, Pir Panjal, and Chenab Valley.
