Sri Lanka records around 100 new cancer patients daily, while approximately 40 deaths occur each day due to cancer, according to the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).
Community Medicine Specialist Dr Hasarali Fernando said these figures were based on the National Cancer Registry 2022, speaking at a media briefing held to mark World Cancer Day on February 4.
She said 35,855 new cancer cases were reported in 2022, while 14,986 cancer-related deaths were recorded in 2021. Of the new cases, about 19,500 were women and 16,400 were men.
According to the data, the most common cancer among men is oral cancer, while breast cancer is the most prevalent among women, followed by thyroid cancer and colorectal cancer.
Dr Fernando noted that the World Health Organization estimates 30–50% of cancers are preventable, adding that ageing, gender, family history and genetics are major risk factors. She said Sri Lanka’s ageing population is contributing to rising cancer rates due to increased genetic mutations, reduced immunity, and longer exposure to cancer-causing factors. (NewsWire)