By IRNA,
Srinagar, India : The Kashmir University is to host a seminar on Esophageal Cancer (EC) on World Cancer Day on Friday to discuss what experts say is the most prevalent form of the deadly disease in Kashmir.
The varsity’s department of bio-chemistry, which has organised the event, said in a statement that the Kashmir valley formed the southern border of the “Asian Esophageal Cancer Belt,” stretching from Iran to north central China, where the highest prevalence and mortality rates of the disease are found.
“This is the most common form of malignancy found in Kashmir followed by lung, stomach and breast cancers,” the department said.
“Almost every third cancer patient in Kashmir has GI tract malignancy,” Dr. Nazir Ahmad, assistant professor at the department and the organising secretary of the seminar, said.
“Out of 8056 cancer cases registered at the Regional Cancer Centre at the SKIMS in the past three years, 1217 (15 per cent) were EC patients,” he said.