Cancer claimed 11,966 lives in Slovakia in 2009, with the lung and bronchial cancer being the most common form counting 2,056 fatal cases, mostly in men. The number of cancer-related fatalities has risen long-term, representing a trend evident in most developed countries, according to the Statistics Office.
Malignant tumours of the large intestine belong among the most- often diagnosed oncological diseases, claiming 951 lives in 2009. It was followed by the pancreas cancer (712 fatalities), stomach cancer (684) and cancer of the rectum (503), TASR newswire reported.
In females, breast cancer is the most prevalent, killing 700 women in 2009. Women are also threatened by the cancer of the cervix (213), as well as malignant tumour of the uterus (180) and ovarian cancer (272). It is estimated that only one in five women undergo regular gynaecological examinations that can diagnose the illness early enough that it is treatable.
According to the National Oncological Register, the number of malignant tumour cases is on the rise, with 12,353 diagnosed cases in 1968 compared to 24,000 cases in 2003, wrote TASR.
