Health authorities in Sri Lanka revealed that the country sees approximately 15 new breast cancer cases daily, with around three women dying from the disease each day.
At a press briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau, Dr. Shreeni Alahapperuma, Director of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), stated that 19,457 women were diagnosed with cancer in 2022, of which 5,477 cases—nearly 28%—were breast cancer.
Dr. Alahapperuma stressed the importance of early detection, noting that about 30% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage, complicating treatment and reducing survival rates.
Sri Lanka records a total of 15,245 cancer-related deaths annually, with breast cancer accounting for 798 of these fatalities.
As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a special awareness campaign will be held on 11th of October at Havelock City.
