Cancer in Sri Lanka

The illness

How many people get cancer in Sri Lanka?

35,855 cancers were found in 2022, 1,898 fewer than in 2021.

2022Cancers found, in every 100,000 people

161.6 in every 100,000 people: 35,855 cancers found in 2022

35,855 in 2022, against 28,967 in 2015. Cancers found each year, 2015 to 2022

201528,967

202235,855

In between, 6 more years: the lowest 30,853 in 2018, the highest 37,753 in 2021.

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2022

See the details

“Found” means newly diagnosed in that year, not everyone living with cancer.

A cancer is counted only when a hospital, a laboratory or a clinic sends in a report of it. Anyone whose cancer was never seen by one of those is not in these figures. So a change from one year to the next can mean more illness, or more of it being reported. The publisher does not say which.

  • 201528,967
  • 201634,179
  • 201732,170
  • 201830,853
  • 201931,849
  • 202037,648
  • 202137,753
  • 202235,855

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, National Cancer Incidence and Mortality Data, Sri Lanka 2022 (the publisher's list of reports).

The illness

Which cancers are most common?

Breast cancer leads among women, and mouth cancer among men.

2022Breast cancer, women

5,447 breast cancers in women, the commonest kind

The commonest: Breast, women, 5,447. Cancers found in 2022, the commonest kinds of each sex
  1. 15,447Breast, women
  2. 23,013Mouth, lip and tongue, men
  3. 32,369Thyroid, women

Then Colon and rectum, men, 1,564; Colon and rectum, women, 1,519; Lung, men, 1,381.

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2022

See the details

Women: the five commonest

  • Breast5,447
  • Thyroid2,369
  • Colon and rectum1,519
  • Uterus1,238
  • Cervix1,226

Men: the five commonest

  • Mouth, lip and tongue3,013
  • Colon and rectum1,564
  • Lung1,381
  • Prostate1,226
  • Food pipe (oesophagus)1,178

The publisher groups some cancers together, such as colon with rectum, and Dooram keeps its groups.

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, National Cancer Incidence and Mortality Data, Sri Lanka 2022 (the publisher's list of reports).

The illness

Why is mouth cancer common in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka's health ministry links it to chewing areca nut in betel quid, and to tobacco.

“Reduce areca-nut use in persons aged over 15 years as a measure to reduce oral cancer”

Source: Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, cancer plan for 2020 to 2024

See the details
“In Sri Lanka, oral cancer is the leading cancer among men”
“A substantial proportion of cancers in the oral cavity, larynx, pancreas, bladder and cervix uteri are also attributable to tobacco.”

These are the publisher's words, not Dooram's. Dooram gives a reason only when a named authority has given it.

Source: Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, National Strategic Plan on Prevention and Control of Cancer 2020–2024, pages 23, 26 and 29 of the file.

The illness

At what age is breast cancer found?

28 in every 100 breast cancers in women are found under 50.

2022Women under 50

28 in 100 breast cancers in women are found under 50

Most at 50 to 59: 1,482. Breast cancers in women found in 2022, by age
  • 366Under 40
  • 1,16640 to 49
  • 1,48250 to 59
  • 1,42260 to 69
  • 1,01070 and over

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2022

See the details

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, National Cancer Incidence and Mortality Data, Sri Lanka 2022 (the publisher's list of reports).

The illness

How many children get cancer in Sri Lanka?

780 children and teenagers were recorded with cancer in 2019.

2019Children and teenagers

780 children and teenagers recorded with cancer

780 in 2019, against 523 in 2005. Recorded with cancer each year, 2005 to 2019

2005523

2019780

In between, 13 more years: the lowest 548 in 2006, the highest 918 in 2016.

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2021

See the details

Which cancers

The six cancers the World Health Organization's Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer asks countries to track.

  • Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia627
  • Retinoblastoma211
  • Hodgkin lymphoma172
  • Wilms tumour146
  • Low grade glioma75
  • Burkitt lymphoma17

Each year

  • 2005523
  • 2006548
  • 2007550
  • 2008589
  • 2009623
  • 2010623
  • 2011585
  • 2012687
  • 2013669
  • 2014739
  • 2015814
  • 2016918
  • 2017862
  • 2018766
  • 2019780

These figures are what hospitals reported. The publisher does not say why the numbers changed, so neither does Dooram.

Source: National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Childhood Cancer Registry Sri Lanka (the publisher's list of reports), 2021.

The care

How many radiation machines?

21 machines, about one for every million people.

2025Radiotherapy machines

21 machines to treat cancer with radiation

Newer (linear accelerators): 12; older (cobalt): 9. Radiation machines installed
  • 12Newer (linear accelerators)
  • 9Older (cobalt)

Together 21

Source: Review of Sri Lanka's cancer care for the Ministry of Health, 2025

See the details

At nine centres, seven public and two private. The same source estimates the country needs 35 machines for the number of people who need radiation treatment.

Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency, International Agency for Research on Cancer and World Health Organization, with the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Cancer Control Capacity and Needs Assessment Report, Sri Lanka, 2025, pages 8, 91 and 137 of the file. World Bank, Population, total, 2025, read 10 October 2026.

The care

Where is cancer treated?

27 government cancer centres saw 40,421 new patients in 2024.

Government cancer centres

27 government cancer centres

Regional centres: 18; main centres: 9. Government cancer centres
  • 18Regional centres
  • 9Main centres

Together 27

Source: Review of Sri Lanka's cancer care for the Ministry of Health, 2025

See the details

Care at government centres is free of charge. Private hospitals also treat cancer and are not counted here.

Sri Lanka's own documents give slightly different totals, from 23 to 28, depending on the year and on what is counted as a centre. This is the newest dated figure.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency, International Agency for Research on Cancer and World Health Organization, with the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Cancer Control Capacity and Needs Assessment Report, Sri Lanka, 2025, pages 68, 69 and 137 of the file.

Treatment in public hospitals

Yes, for all 5 kinds of treatment the survey asks about. These are the country's own answers to a survey: yes or no, not how much or how long the wait.

  • PathologyYes
  • Cancer surgeryYes
  • ChemotherapyYes
  • RadiotherapyYes
  • Morphine by mouth for painYes

Source: World Health Organization, Noncommunicable disease country capacity survey, 2021, read 10 October 2026.

Care for people who cannot be cured

11 hospitals have a palliative care team, and about 200 local clinics give it at home. Palliative care eases pain and other suffering when an illness cannot be cured.

  • Hospitals with a palliative care team11
  • Hospices9
  • Local clinics giving care at home, about200

Base Hospital Tellippalai; National Cancer Institute (Apeksha), Maharagama; District General Hospital Nuwara Eliya; Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila; National Hospital Galle; District General Hospital Embilipitiya; National Hospital Kandy; Teaching Hospital Ratnapura; National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo; District General Hospital Trincomalee; Teaching Hospital Kurunegala.

No hospital has beds set aside for it; the review says patients needing it are admitted to ordinary wards. Most hospices house people who are having cancer treatment, and three also give care at home.

Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency, International Agency for Research on Cancer and World Health Organization, with the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Cancer Control Capacity and Needs Assessment Report, Sri Lanka, 2025, pages 101 to 103 of the file. National Cancer Control Programme, Sri Lanka, Palliative Care Consult Services in Sri Lanka, read 10 October 2026. World Health Organization, Noncommunicable disease country capacity survey, 2021, read 10 October 2026.

The care

Is there screening for cervical cancer?

58 in every 100 women aged 35 had a smear test for cervical cancer in 2024.

2024Cervical cancer screening

58 in 100 women aged 35 had a smear test for cervical cancer

58 in 100 in 2024, against 53 in 100 in 2020. Women aged 35 who had a smear test for cervical cancer, in every 100

202053in 100

202458in 100

In between, 3 more years: the lowest 40 in 100 in 2021, the highest 61 in 100 in 2023.

Source: Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, yearly health report for 2024

See the details
  • 202053 in 100
  • 202140 in 100
  • 202250 in 100
  • 202361 in 100
  • 202458 in 100

The figure for each year is the share of women turning 35 that year who had a smear test at a government clinic for women.

Among women aged 45 it was 43.2 in every 100 in 2024.

Sri Lanka's own figure: 57.7 in 100 women aged 35 in 2024. World Health Organization: 27 in 100 women aged 30 to 49 ever tested, an estimate for 2019. The two figures measure different things, which is part of why they differ: one counts women of a single age tested in one year, the other estimates women of many ages ever tested.

Sources: Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Annual Health Bulletin 2024 (the publisher's list of reports), Table 8.1, page 103 of the file. World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, Women aged 30 to 49 screened for cervical cancer, 2019, read 10 October 2026.

The care

Are new cancer medicines approved?

The two newest medicines checked are not yet approved for sale.

Newest medicines not yet approved

2 of 2 newest medicines checked are not yet approved for sale

  • CapivasertibApproved in the United States November 2023Not yet here
  • Datopotamab deruxtecanApproved in the United States January 2025Not yet here

Source: National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Sri Lanka, read 8 October 2026

See the details

Approved for sale means the medicines regulator allows it to be sold. It does not mean a hospital has it, or that it is paid for. No source records that, so Dooram does not show it.

Approved is not the same as in stock: a 2025 review found 70 of 800 essential medicines out of stock at the national cancer hospital.

Sources: National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Sri Lanka, Medicine Valid Registration, 2026, read 8 October 2026. United States Food and Drug Administration, Oncology (cancer) and hematologic malignancies approval notifications, read 10 October 2026. ANVISA, Brazil, Open data on medicines (DADOS_ABERTOS_MEDICAMENTOS), read 10 October 2026. European Medicines Agency, Download medicine data, read 10 October 2026. International Atomic Energy Agency, International Agency for Research on Cancer and World Health Organization, with the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Cancer Control Capacity and Needs Assessment Report, Sri Lanka, 2025, page 34 of the file.

The care

Can people join a cancer trial?

4 trials are listed as recruiting, but three are past their planned end date.

Cancer trials recruiting

4 trials marked as recruiting

15 cancer trials on the list → 4 marked as recruiting → 3 of those, past their planned end date.
  1. 15 Cancer trials on the list
  2. 4 Marked as recruiting
  3. 3 Of those, past their planned end date

Source: Sri Lanka's own list of trials, read 10 October 2026

See the details

A trial tests a treatment; it is not a treatment, and listing it here is not a recommendation.

Source: Sri Lanka Medical Association, Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry, read 10 October 2026.

Compared

How does Sri Lanka's cancer care compare?

Beside four other countries, one measure at a time.

Sri Lanka: 77 in 100; higher in Brazil (90 in 100) and lower in Kenya (43 in 100). Alive five years after breast cancer, in every 100 women

77in 100Sri Lanka

  • 90Higher: Brazil
  • 43Lower: Kenya

Also: Pakistan 59 in 100; Germany 88 in 100.

Source: World Health Organization and World Health Organization and UNICEF; each named in the details

See the details

Alive five years after breast cancer, in every 100 women

  • Sri Lanka77
  • Pakistan59
  • Kenya43
  • Brazil90
  • Germany88

Women aged 30 to 49 ever screened for cervical cancer, in every 100

  • Sri Lanka27
  • Pakistan1
  • Kenya17
  • Brazil58
  • Germany93

Girls given the HPV vaccine, in every 100

  • Sri Lanka96
  • Pakistan40
  • Kenya69
  • Brazil86
  • Germany68

These are things measured the same way everywhere. They do not rank countries, and a gap between two countries has many causes.

Sources: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, Five-year survival after breast cancer, women diagnosed 2017 to 2021, read 10 October 2026. World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, Women aged 30 to 49 screened for cervical cancer, 2019, read 10 October 2026. World Health Organization and UNICEF, Girls given the HPV vaccine, 2025, read 10 October 2026.

What is not on this page yet?

  • Radiotherapy machines in the worldwide directoryWaits on written permissionThe International Atomic Energy Agency's directory of radiotherapy centres counts the machines each centre reports. Dooram adds its figures here once the Agency gives written permission to show them.
  • The worldwide cancer estimateWaits on written permissionThe World Health Organization's cancer agency estimates every country's new cancers and deaths each year. Dooram adds its estimates here once the agency gives written permission to show them.

Dooram informs; it does not give medical advice. Every figure names who published it and when.

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