In which region of Kyrgyzstan is cancer most frequently detected, and which type is the most prevalent? Research data

As of the beginning of 2025, the National Center for Oncology and Hematology of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic has registered 35,163 patients with oncological diseases. However, access to modern diagnostic and treatment methods, as well as to anticancer medications, remains limited, which in turn negatively affects survival rates.

The article written by Sulaymanova A.A., Bukuev N.M., and Jumabaev A.R. was published in the journal "Healthcare of Kyrgyzstan." 

According to their research, the 5-year survival rate among cancer patients at the end of 2024 was 34.2%.

From 2020 to 2024, there has been an increase in the number of new cases of malignant neoplasms in Kyrgyzstan: from 5,377 cases in 2020 to 6,651 by the end of 2024. During these years, the number of cancer-related deaths remained high: 3,539 people in 2020, 3,438 in 2021, 3,352 in 2022, 3,420 in 2023, and 3,390 in 2024.

The authors of the study emphasize that the incidence rates (number of new cases) show a tendency to increase: in 2021 — 85.1 per 100,000 population, in 2022 — 88.5, in 2023 — 86.0, with an expected increase to 91.3 per 100,000 population in 2024. At the same time, a decrease in the mortality rate is projected to 46.5 per 100,000 population. During the period from 2021 to 2023, the mortality rates were 51.0, 48.1, and 48.2 per 100,000 respectively, while in 2024 it decreased to 30.7 per 100,000 population.



Malignant neoplasms rank second among the causes of mortality from all diseases in Kyrgyzstan, second only to cardiovascular diseases. In 2023, the incidence rate was 446.35, and the annual mortality rate was 46.3 per 100,000 population.

The highest incidence is observed in the Naryn region, with a rate of 120.3 per 100,000 population, followed by Chui region (120.0), Bishkek (116.1), and Issyk-Kul region (114.2). High mortality rates have also been recorded in Naryn region (72.7 per 100,000), Issyk-Kul (58.4 per 100,000), and Chui region (55.8 per 100,000 population).

More than 55% of cancer cases are diagnosed in patients aged 35 to 64 years. In the structure of oncological diseases, stomach cancer ranks first (12.8%), followed by breast cancer (12.6%), lung cancer (8.4%), cervical cancer (7.2%), and liver cancer (5.1%). According to mortality data from oncological diseases, stomach cancer leads (8.2%), followed by lung cancer (6.0%) and breast cancer (4.2%).

In Kyrgyzstan, 54.5% of patients are diagnosed with cancer at stages III–IV. The highest number of stage IV cases is observed in lung cancer (48.4%), liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer (50.4%), as well as stomach cancer (36.6%).



Experts note that the data presented indicate a lack of awareness among the population about risk factors and preventive measures for oncological diseases, as well as a deficiency in oncological vigilance at the primary healthcare level, which directly affects late diagnosis and low survival rates.