Wednesday, July 30, 2025 - The National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K) has revealed that breast, cervical, prostate, oesophageal, and colorectal cancers - dubbed the “Big Five” - are the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the country.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 29th, NCI-K Chair Dr.
Timothy Olweny emphasized the urgent need for aggressive prevention measures.
“If we could make a significant impact in managing these
five, it would dramatically reduce the cancer burden in Kenya,” he stated.
Breast and cervical cancers are the most common among women,
while prostate cancer is the leading form in men.
Oesophageal and colorectal cancers affect both genders and
are particularly fatal due to late diagnosis, especially in Central and Western
Kenya.
Data from global cancer observatories indicates that Kenya
records around 42,116 new cancer cases annually, with the Big Five accounting
for 52% of them.
Breast cancer tops the list with up to 7,243 new cases
yearly, followed by cervical (5,250), prostate (3,412), oesophageal (4,300),
and colorectal (1,900).
Beyond health, cancer imposes heavy psychological and
financial tolls on families. Since 2020, Kenya has recorded over 27,000 cancer
deaths.
Dr. Olweny called for increased investment in prevention,
early detection, treatment, and palliative care to curb the growing crisis.
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