As a part of Cancer Week, which aims to raise awareness of the increase in cancer cases, Turkey's cancer map has been released. According to the map, Turkey's biggest problem is still smoking and smoking-related cancers. Professor Metin Ertem, the president of the Fight Against Cancer Foundation, said despite efforts and encouragement from the government and non-governmental organizations, 60 percent of the population continue to smoke.
The region with the country's largest population, the Marmara region, is struggling with smoking-related cancer cases. Professor Ertem stated that smoking not only stands as the main cause of lung cancer but also triggers pancreas, stomach and urinary bladder cancers.
While lung, stomach and colon cancers are the most common cancer types in the Central Anatolian region, esophageal and stomach cancers are the most common cancer types in the Eastern Anatolian region, a phenomenon caused by drinking very hot beverages, according to Professor Ertem.The people of Southeastern Anatolia suffer from stomach cancers the most, while in the Black Sea region has the highest occurrence of thyroid and thyroid related cancer diagnosis.
On the shores of the Aegean and Mediterranean, urinary bladder cancer is the most common cancer type.
