Last year saw the biggest decline in new cases of cancer registered with the National Cancer Registry in the last six years, according information shared by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
The statistics shared by the HPA on Tuesday show changes to number of new cancer cases in the Maldives between 2020 and 2025.
The number of new cancer cases registered stood at 137 in 2020. The number jumped to 208 cases in 2021 and then 244 in 2022 – the highest in the six years – before falling to 211 cases in 2023, 195 cases in 2024, and 111 in 2025.
Cancer accounts for 17 percent of deaths in the Maldives each year.
The most common types of cancer in the Maldives includes breast cancer, lung cancer, blood cancer, thyroid cancer and prostate cancer.
Research shows that 40 percent of cancers are linked to unhealthy lifestyles choices such as smoking and other avoidable factors.
Some of the common unhealthy lifestyle choices linked to cancer includes:
Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke
Unhealthy diets
Areca-nut chewing
Lack of exercise
Excessive body weight
Alcohol consumption
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation
Authorities urge lifestyle changes and regular screening to reduce the risk of cancer.