Srinagar, Aug 1: As World Lung Cancer Day was observed on August 1, over 60,000 cases of different cancers have been registered over the last five years in Jammu and Kashmir.
World Lung Cancer Day is observed annually on August 1 to raise awareness about the deadly disease, its causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies. The disease is very common in India due to poor lifestyle habits and exposure to polluted air.
Cancer arises from the transformation of normal cells into tumour cells in a multi-stage process that generally progresses from a pre-cancerous lesion to a malignant tumor. These changes result from the interaction between a person’s genetic factors and three categories of external agents:
Various types of cancer, such as skin (Kangri cancer), lung, breast, rectum, stomach, prostate, liver, cervix, oesophagus, bladder, and blood cancers, have been documented in the Kashmir valley.
A doctor at SKIMS Soura said that cancer cases in the Kashmir region have surged, with lung cancer in men being the most common.
The rise in the number of cancer cases could be attributed to an aging population, unhealthy lifestyles, the use of various forms of tobacco and related products, an unhealthy diet, and, in most cases, the non-availability of better diagnostic facilities.
Doctors say the elevated rates of cancer may stem from a combination of internal factors like genetics, mutations, hormonal influences, and compromised immune conditions, as well as external or environmental factors such as dietary habits, industrialization, population growth, and societal aspects.
