Patiala, March 11 -- Around 70 people - highest in the region - died of cancer every day in Punjab last year, according to the data shared by the Union ministry of health and family welfare in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The figures revealed that nearly 25,000 people lost their lives to cancer across the state in 2025: up from 22,786 in 2021. Neighbouring Haryana reported 18,387 cancer deaths, while Himachal Pradesh reported only 5,328 deaths. The data presented by the ministry of health and family welfare revealed that the incidence of cancer cases had continuously been rising in the state. According to the data, cancer cases in Punjab - among both sexes - increased from 39,251 in 2021 to 43,196 in 2025. The data further revealed that nearly 57.6% of people diagnosed with cancer in Punjab lost their lives. A 2021 study by the Indian Council of Medical Research had revealed that breast cancer was the deadliest among women in Punjab, while oesophagus and lung cancers were the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among men. When asked about the current status of oncology infrastructure in high-burden regions, number of cancer care facilities, availability of specialised medical personnel, and accessibility of treatment services, the ministry said that the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) had established six hospitals across the country in Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, New Chandigarh, Guwahati, Sangrur and Muzaffarpur to provide high-quality comprehensive cancer care. When asked whether environmental factors, such as industrial pollution, pesticide exposure and contaminated water sources, the ministry said that a recent review by the Indian Council of Medical Research has provided a critical analysis which linked water contamination - including industrial waste, pesticides and heavy metals - with rectal and colorectal cancers. Last month, Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh said that the state has two cancer institutes at Sangrur and New Chandigarh with a combined capacity of 450 beds. He had also recalled that earlier cancer patients from Punjab had to travel to Rajasthan for treatment, but now cancer care facilities in the state....