Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Mar 2: Dakshina Kannada (DK), Hassan and Kalaburagi have recorded the highest number of cancer detections in Karnataka over the last five years, accounting for a disproportionate share of diagnoses despite large-scale screening across the state and zero reports from several other districts, according to Lok Sabha data.
Between 2020–21 and 2024–25, Dakshina Kannada reported a total of 3,432 cases of oral, cervical and breast cancer. Kalaburagi followed closely with 3,397 cases, while Hassan recorded 2,436 cases during the same period.
The data from Dakshina Kannada reveals a sharp year-on-year increase. In 2022–23, 18 cases were detected out of 16,41,913 people screened, which rose to 67 cases from 41,088 screenings in 2023–24. In 2024–25, the number of detections surged to 3,328 from 70,033 screenings. In Kalaburagi, 1,112 cases were detected in 2021–22 and 2,073 in 2022–23, before declining sharply from 182 in 2023–24 to 30 in 2024–25. Hassan saw relatively low detections initially, which spiked to 2,224 in 2023–24, before dropping to 99 cases in 2024–25.
Other districts with notable cumulative detections over the five-year period include Belagavi with 849 cases, Kolar with 844, Tumakuru with 538, Haveri with 463, and Chikkamagaluru with 1,648 cases, most of which were concentrated in the first two years.
In 2024–25 alone, Dakshina Kannada recorded the highest number of detections at 3,328 cases, followed by Kolar with 402 and Davanagere with 189. Bagalkot reported 168 cases, Tumakuru 117, and Hassan 99 cases. Between 2020–21 and 2024–25, a total of 13,91,301 people were screened in Bengaluru, with 292 cancer cases detected.
Despite extensive screening in several districts, very low or zero detections have been reported. Yadgir and Chamarajanagar screened approximately 50,000 and 84,000 people respectively, but reported zero cases. Vijayapura and Kodagu reported two cases each, Mandya three cases, and Udupi and Ballari four cases each.
Over the past five years, Karnataka has significantly expanded cancer screening under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. In many districts, over 10 lakh people are screened annually. Under the community health programme, ASHA workers conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns, encouraging at-risk individuals to visit health sub-centres or Ayushman Arogya Kendras for early screening. Suspected cases are referred to primary health centres.
District-level NCD clinics and day-care cancer centres provide follow-up chemotherapy. The state currently supports 19 state cancer institutes and 20 tertiary care cancer centres, with approval granted for 16 new district cancer centres in 2025–26. However, officials note that there continues to be a shortage of specialist cancer doctors across the state.