Prof. Chheang Ra, Credit: The Phnom Penh Post

PHNOM PENH — Cancer remains one of the most frightening diseases in the world, and yet many people in Cambodia still underestimate the importance of protecting themselves from it. Despite its relatively small population of 17 million, Cambodia records around 20,000 new cancer cases each year, with approximately 14,000 deaths, a troublingly high mortality rate.

At the recent launch of the National Cancer Control Plan 2025–2030 on May 5, Health Minister Cheang Ra raised the alarm over the nation’s cancer crisis. “Initially, the incidence of about 20,000 cases per year, when compared to more advanced countries, seems relatively low,” he said. “However, this figure comes with insufficient research, and many cases remain undiagnosed.”

The most unsettling statistic, however, lies in the mortality rate. Cambodia records a cancer death rate of over 70 percent, dramatically surpassing the global average of 48 percent. This translates to one death every 40 minutes, or roughly 38 people per day, a devastating toll that leaves behind grieving families, widows, widowers and orphans, and places heavy social and economic burdens on communities.

Credit: Nursing Home Care

Among the primary factors contributing to cancer are genetic inheritance, viral and bacterial infections, environmental hazards, and poor lifestyle choices. According to Hello Krupet, a leading local health education platform, cervical cancer ranks as the most common form of the disease in Cambodia, followed by breast cancer, lung cancer, stomach and colon cancer, and liver cancer.

Credit: Science Alert

Environmental concerns, notably plastic usage, have also drawn attention as a potential contributing factor, given the widespread and often unsafe handling of plastics in daily life. Combined with air pollution, exposure to chemicals in building materials, and unhealthy dietary habits such as excessive consumption of preserved foods, alcohol, and tobacco these elements form a dangerous cocktail of cancer risks for Cambodians.

While some cancers remain without clear causes or effective vaccines, health experts insist that prevention is still within reach. A professor at the University of Health Sciences emphasizes simple but crucial lifestyle adjustments: avoid smoking, drink alcohol in moderation, stay physically active, manage stress, and maintain a balanced diet.

Credit: Mayo Clinic

As Cambodia moves forward with its national cancer plan, health officials hope greater public awareness and preventive action will help curb the country’s high mortality rate and ease the profound personal and societal costs of this often preventable disease.

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