ICMR Launches Initiative To Strengthen Cancer Screening In Jammu And Kashmir

With gastrointestinal cancers continuing to exact a heavy toll in Jammu and Kashmir and cancer cases steadily rising across the country, the ICMR has launched a major implementation research initiative aimed at improving the prevention, screening and early detection of four common cancers in the Union Territory.

The initiative seeks to develop an evidence-based and scalable model for the prevention and screening of oral, breast, cervical and gastrointestinal cancers through the existing public healthcare system.

In this regard, the country's apex biomedical research body has sought proposals from research teams in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in a four-year implementation research study.

Cancer has emerged as one of India's most pressing public health challenges, with more than 14 lakh new cases reported annually. While breast and lung cancers account for a large proportion of cases nationally, Jammu and Kashmir presents a distinct disease profile, according to a scientist from the ICMR.

The region, particularly the Kashmir Valley, has long reported a high burden of gastrointestinal cancers, including cancers of the stomach, oesophagus and colorectum, alongside lung cancer.

According to reports, nearly 38 new cases are being diagnosed every day in the region. Recent government data revealed over 32,000 cancer cases across the Union Territory over a recent three-year period, with roughly 79% of these cases reported from the Kashmir Valley

While the health experts have been repeatedly pointing to the need for earlier diagnosis in the region, many patients continue to reach healthcare facilities at advanced stages of disease, reducing treatment options and survival outcomes, noted the scientist.

Against this backdrop, the ICMR's proposed research programme aims to work on how to ensure Jammu and Kashmir achieve high-quality, large-scale cancer screening, early diagnosis and timely treatment initiation through a culturally sensitive and geographically adapted model integrated with the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).

The project will focus on women aged 30 years and above for breast cancer screening, sexually active women aged 30 to 60 years for cervical cancer screening, adults aged 18 years and above for oral cancer screening, and adults aged 40 years and above for gastrointestinal cancer screening, the scientist said about the programme.

Researchers will be expected to work through district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, covering at least one entire district.

The programme will employ implementation science methods, combining quantitative and qualitative research approaches to understand not only whether interventions work, but also how they can be effectively delivered through the health system.

A key feature of the initiative is its emphasis on strengthening existing healthcare structures rather than creating parallel systems.

The proposed interventions include improving screening coverage and quality, training non-specialist physicians and frontline healthcare workers, strengthening referral pathways and ensuring that individuals who test positive are linked promptly to diagnostic and treatment services.

The programme also seeks to address a longstanding challenge in cancer control—community participation. Researchers have been asked to develop strategies that encourage people to undergo screening and seek timely medical attention while improving awareness about cancer risk factors and early warning signs.

On the basis of the outcome, the government proposes to integrate it into the NP-NCD framework and potentially replicate across other regions facing similar challenges.

Beyond measuring screening uptake and confirmed cancer diagnoses, the study will also assess patient satisfaction, community awareness, feasibility and cost-effectiveness.

It will also focus on capacity building by training healthcare workers and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in screening, counselling, referral and follow-up care, pointed out the scientist.