Addressing a media workshop in Colombo, National Cancer Control Programme Director Consultant Community Physician Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said around 17,000 new cancer patients are detected annually by the local health system. He went on to say that the
most common cancer among Sri Lankans is oral cancer, while with women it is breast cancer, with around 2,500 new breast cancer patients detected annually. Consultant Community Physician Dr. Nayana De Alwis said that daily around seven new breast cancer patients are being detected in Sri Lanka with most of them in the stages three or four, which cannot be reversed.
