In Moldova, oncological diseases are the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. In 2021, total mortality from cancer represented 220.7 cases per 100,000 population (275.1 among men and 171.2 among women).

The most frequently diagnosed types of cancer were breast, colorectal, prostate, skin and trachea cancers, which represented 52.6% of the total. The data are presented by the National Agency for Public Health ANSP in the context of World Cancer Day marked on February 4.
 
A third of cancer deaths are caused by tobacco consumption, high body mass index, alcohol consumption, diets low in fruits and vegetables and lack of exercise.

Also, hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomavirus (HPV), etc. substantially increase the risk of some types of cancer such as cervical and liver cancer. Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved each year through appropriate prevention strategies, early detection and timely treatment.

The 2023 campaign theme is “Reducing Inequity in Cancer Care”. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 1 in 6 deaths globally. In the European region, in 2022, there were approximately 2.7 million people with cancer and more than 1.3 million deaths, with the mortality rate being higher in men than in women.

In men, the most common types of cancer were prostate cancer (23%), lung cancer (14%) and colorectal cancer (13%), and in women, breast cancer predominated (29%), followed by colorectal (12%) and lung cancer (9%). Breast cancer remains the leading cause of death among women, with approximately 95 thousand deaths in 2020, representing 17% of all deaths caused by this disease.