Overview of cancer burden in Kosovo. Our data

Session

Medicine and Nursing

Description

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, with 10 million deaths in 2020 attributed to cancer or one in six deaths. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) shoulder most of the cancer burden. Approximately 30 to 50% of cancers are currently preventable by avoiding risk factors and implementing existing evidence-based prevention strategies. The burden of cancer can also be reduced through early detection of cancers and appropriate treatment of cancer patients. Many cancers are highly curable if diagnosed early and treated appropriately. Late diagnosis in developing countries may be due to several reasons, ranging from the lack of screening programs for early detection and awareness-raising educational programs, the lack of or insufficient national population-based cancer registries, to the lack of or limited services for cancers in general. Since malignant diseases are also on the rise in the Republic of Kosovo, the design and implementation of prevention and early detection (screening) strategies would have a major effect on reducing cancer mortality at the national level. Data on malignant diseases were obtained from the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), the hospital registry of the oncology clinic, the registry of the radiology clinic, and the Statistical Agency of Kosovo (SAK). These data were processed and compared over the years. The results show that there is a large difference between the data from ASK and the oncology clinic as the only center for the treatment of solid tumors in the country. Kosovo does not have a national screening for preventable cancers. A standardized and acceptable cancer registry with international European norms should be aimed for Kosovo. Without a proper cancer registry, in the absence of accurate data on the incidence of malignant diseases, mortality and service outcomes, it is impossible to understand the extent of the cancer problem in the country and to monitor changes in incidence and mortality, treatment and prevention programs.

Proceedings Editor

Edmond Hajrizi

ISBN

978-9951-982-41-2

Location

UBT Lipjan, Kosovo

Start Date

25-10-2025 9:00 AM

End Date

26-10-2025 6:00 PM

DOI

10.33107/ubt-ic.2025.379

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Oct 25th, 9:00 AM Oct 26th, 6:00 PM

Overview of cancer burden in Kosovo. Our data

UBT Lipjan, Kosovo

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, with 10 million deaths in 2020 attributed to cancer or one in six deaths. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) shoulder most of the cancer burden. Approximately 30 to 50% of cancers are currently preventable by avoiding risk factors and implementing existing evidence-based prevention strategies. The burden of cancer can also be reduced through early detection of cancers and appropriate treatment of cancer patients. Many cancers are highly curable if diagnosed early and treated appropriately. Late diagnosis in developing countries may be due to several reasons, ranging from the lack of screening programs for early detection and awareness-raising educational programs, the lack of or insufficient national population-based cancer registries, to the lack of or limited services for cancers in general. Since malignant diseases are also on the rise in the Republic of Kosovo, the design and implementation of prevention and early detection (screening) strategies would have a major effect on reducing cancer mortality at the national level. Data on malignant diseases were obtained from the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), the hospital registry of the oncology clinic, the registry of the radiology clinic, and the Statistical Agency of Kosovo (SAK). These data were processed and compared over the years. The results show that there is a large difference between the data from ASK and the oncology clinic as the only center for the treatment of solid tumors in the country. Kosovo does not have a national screening for preventable cancers. A standardized and acceptable cancer registry with international European norms should be aimed for Kosovo. Without a proper cancer registry, in the absence of accurate data on the incidence of malignant diseases, mortality and service outcomes, it is impossible to understand the extent of the cancer problem in the country and to monitor changes in incidence and mortality, treatment and prevention programs.