MANGALURU: Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, and Kalburgi have recorded the highest cancer detection numbers in Karnataka over the past five years, accounting for a disproportionate share of diagnosed cases even as many districts reported negligible detections despite large-scale screening, according to Lok Sabha data.
Between 2020–21 and 2024–25, Dakshina Kannada reported a cumulative total of 3,432 diagnosed cases of oral, cervical, and breast cancers. Kalburgi followed closely with 3,397 cases, while Hassan recorded 2,436 cases during the same period.
Dakshina Kannada’s data reveal a dramatic single-year surge, rising from 18 diagnosed cases out of 16,41,913 screened in 2022–23, and 67 cases from 41,088 screened in 2023–24, to 3,328 cases in 2024–25 from just 70,033 screened. Kalburgi’s numbers were driven largely by earlier spikes, with 1,112 cases in 2021–22 and 2,073 in 2022–23, before falling to 182 in 2023–24 and 30 in 2024–25. Hassan saw low early detections until a sharp spike to 2,224 in 2023–24, followed by 99 cases in 2024–25.
Other districts with notable cumulative detections over five years include Belagavi (849 cases), Kolar (844), Haveri (463), Tumkur (538), and Chikmagalur (1,648), mostly concentrated in the first two years. In 2024–25, Dakshina Kannada remained the clear outlier at 3,328 cases, followed by Kolar (402) and Davanagere (189). Bagalkot reported 168 cases, Tumkur 117, and Hassan 99. Bengaluru screened a total of 13,91,301 people and reported 292 diagnosed cases between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Several districts reported extremely low or zero detections despite high screening numbers. Yadgir and Chamarajanagar recorded zero cases, screening nearly 50,000 and 84,000 people respectively. Vijayapura and Kodagu reported just two cases each, Mandya three, and Udupi and Bellary four each, highlighting a persistent gap between screening and diagnosis in some regions.
Over the past five years, Karnataka has rapidly expanded cancer screening under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, with multiple districts screening over 10 lakh people annually. The Gruha Arogya programme enables ASHAs to conduct house-to-house awareness visits, referring at-risk individuals to Health Sub-Centres or Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for initial screening, with suspected cases sent to primary health centres.
District-level NCD Clinics and Day Care Cancer Centres provide follow-up chemotherapy. The state also supports 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres, with 16 new district centres approved for 2025 26, decentralising care and addressing oncologist shortages.