ICMR plans major cancer screening programme in J&K amid rising disease burden

Srinagar, Jun 1: Amid a rising cancer burden in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has initiated a major study aimed at strengthening early detection and treatment through a comprehensive cancer prevention and screening programme in the Union Territory.

The ICMR has invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from research institutions for designing and implementing the initiative, titled “Prevention and Screening of Oral, Breast, Cervical and Gastrointestinal Cancers in Jammu and Kashmir.”

The programme seeks to strengthen early diagnosis and treatment of some of the most prevalent cancers in J&K through the existing public healthcare system, with a particular focus on improving screening coverage and reducing delayed diagnosis.

According to the EOI document uploaded on the ICMR website, cancer cases are steadily rising across India, with the annual burden estimated at over 14 lakh cases. In Jammu and Kashmir, breast and lung cancers remain among the most common, while gastrointestinal cancers — including stomach and oesophageal cancers — continue to pose a major public health challenge. Gastric cancer, in particular, remains highly prevalent in the Kashmir Valley.

The proposed project will be implemented under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) and is expected to develop a scalable, evidence-based model for cancer prevention, screening, early diagnosis and treatment that can be integrated into routine healthcare services.

Under the proposed framework, screening will target breast cancer among women aged 30 years and above, oral cancer among adults aged 18 years and above, cervical cancer among sexually active women aged 30 to 60 years, and gastrointestinal cancers among adults aged 40 years and above.

The screening programme is planned to be implemented through district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and AyushmanArogyaMandirs, with at least one district to be covered under each selected proposal.

The initiative is aimed at addressing one of the biggest challenges in cancer care in the region — late diagnosis. It seeks to improve screening coverage using validated methods, involve non-specialist doctors and frontline healthcare workers in early cancer detection, strengthen referral pathways for timely treatment, and mobilise communities to participate in screening programmes.

A major component of the programme will involve training and capacity-building of healthcare workers and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in screening, counselling, referrals and follow-up care.

Designed as a four-year implementation research study, the project will include preparatory, implementation and evaluation phases. Researchers will use both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess feasibility, effectiveness and community acceptance.

Among the primary outcomes to be measured are screening uptake, the number of confirmed cancer cases, turnaround time for diagnosis and treatment, and completion of the screening-to-treatment process. Secondary outcomes will include public awareness levels, patient satisfaction, cost-effectiveness and the feasibility of integrating enhanced screening into the existing healthcare system.

Health experts have repeatedly flagged the high burden of gastrointestinal cancers in Kashmir and stressed the need for systematic population-based screening to facilitate early diagnosis, when treatment outcomes are significantly better.

If successful, the ICMR-backed initiative could provide Jammu and Kashmir with a locally adapted model for cancer prevention and early detection while generating evidence for wider adoption under national non-communicable disease programmes.

The ICMR said selected research teams will work closely with representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir government and the council’s secretariat to develop and implement the study protocol.