Vietnam is among countries with an average cancer rate, stated Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Huong from the National Institute for Cancer Prevention and Control on January 17.

Huong cited the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) statistics as saying Vietnam ranks 78th among 172 surveyed countries in terms of rate of cancer, rejecting reports that the country ranks second.

The respective number of cancer cases per 100,000 people among men and women globally is 205 and 165, while the figure in Vietnam is 173 and 114, noted Prof. Huong.

Huong said that the world cancer ratio for both men and women is 1.3 times higher dthan that of Vietnam, as the world rate is 182 per 100,000 and that of Vietnam is 140 per 100,000.

According to the IARC, the cancer rate in developed countries is higher than in developing ones, however the ratio is rapidly rising.

Cancer is a non-infectious disease with close relations to unhealthy lifestyles, environmental pollution and unsafe food.

The five most common kinds of cancer are digestive cancer, breast cancer, gynecology cancer, head and lung cancers.

VNA