In this article, we will be taking a look at the 5 countries with lowest rates of cancer. If you want to read the detailed analysis of the oncology market, head straight to 20 Countries with Lowest Rates of Cancer.
5. The Republic of the Congo
Cancer Incidence Rate Per 100K: 84.3
The top five most common cancers, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, in the Republic of the Congo, also called Congo-Brazzaville, are cervix uteri, breast, colorectal, ovarian, and liver cancer.
4. Bhutan
Cancer Incidence Rate Per 100K: 81.3
Bhutan, situated on the eastern ridges of the Himalayas, was the first low/middle-income country to introduce a nationwide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program (with a 90% coverage) for girls aged 12 to 18 in 2010 in an attempt to prevent cervical cancer, the most common cancer among women in the country.
Moreover, the country launched a cervical cancer elimination flagship program in 2019, and has been vaccinating both boys and girls.
3. Nepal
Cancer Incidence Rate Per 100K: 80.0
According to WCRF data, the age-standardized cancer incidence and death rates in Nepal, a landlocked country in South Asia, are 80.0 and 54.4 per 100,000, respectively. Lung cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men in the country, whereas cervical cancer is the most common among women.
Although it is among the nations with lowest rates of cancer on our list, it has a cervical cancer incidence rate of 16.4 per 100,000 women, compared to the WHO’s target of 4 per 100,000. Nepal has a high burden of this cancer mainly because of a limited screening program, like many other low and middle-income countries.
2. The Gambia
Cancer Incidence Rate Per 100K: 79.3
The Gambia, a West African country, bounded by Senegal, with a narrow Atlantic coastline, had 1,032 cases of cancer in 2020. Among women in the nation between the ages of 15 and 44, cervical cancer is the most prevalent type, with over 90% of cases diagnosed in advanced stages that are unlikely to be cured.
1. Niger
Cancer Incidence Rate Per 100K: 76.4
Niger, with a cancer incidence rate of 76.4 per 100K individuals, tops our list of the countries with lowest rates of cancer. It may have a low cancer burden due to a combination of factors, such as its demographic composition, lifestyle choices and—most importantly—the fact that it is among the world’s poorest nations, which means it lacks the necessary infrastructure required to accurately and completely detect cancer cases.
Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our daily free enewsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge funds’ investor letters by entering your email address below. You can also take a look at the 25 Best For-Profit Hospitals In The US and the 15 Deadliest Cancers in the U.S.
