Cancer incidence highest in northern parts of Kazakhstan

ASTANA. KAZINFORM – The cancer incidence rate is the highest in North Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan, and Pavlodar regions, Dilara Kaidarova, chief oncologist of the Kazakh Health Ministry, said, Kazinform correspondent reports.

According to her, breast and lung cancer is most common in the three regions.

Kaidarova said that the main reasons behind the high incidence are aging population in North Kazakhstan region, multiple industrial enterprises in East Kazakhstan, as well as the legacy of the nuclear testing site in Abai region.

The city of Almaty is ranked fifth in the list of regions with the highest number of cancer patients, with urbanization as the main reason for that.