One in every 16 Bhutanese, regardless of sex, is at risk of dying from cancer in Bhutan. This is according to the latest population-based cancer registry of the health ministry compiled every five years. The registry reveals that the number of annual cancer cases has nearly doubled over the past decade.
Between 2023 to last year, 580 males and about 650 females were diagnosed with cancer in the country. Over 400 people died due to cancer during the same period.
In the 2024–2025 financial year alone, more than 1,200 patients were referred abroad for specialized treatment.
Total overseas treatment costs exceeded Nu 730 M, an increase of more than 150 per cent since 2021.
Among men, stomach cancer was the most common, followed by colon, liver, mouth and pharynx, and oesophageal cancers.
For women, cervical cancer topped the list, followed by stomach, breast, colon, and lung cancers.
Overall, stomach cancer is still the leading cancer in Bhutan, with almost 340 cases in the last three years. From which, nearly 135 patients died.
Health officials said factors such as high prevalence of H.Pylori bacterial infection among Bhutanese population aged 25 above, high salt-intake and the consumption of dried meat contribute to cancer cases.
Health ministry mentions that cancer burden is more in females in the country.
According to the latest population-based cancer registry, among the age group 0 to 74, 1 in 8 males is at risk of developing cancer and in females, 1 in 7 females is at risk of developing cancer.
The most common form of treatment remains surgery, either alone or combined with chemotherapy or radiation.
The registry reveals that most surgeries are carried out at the national referral hospital, while chemotherapy and radiation therapy are provided within the country and abroad.
Behind these numbers are hundreds of families affected by the disease, reinforcing the need for stronger prevention, early diagnosis, and accessible treatment for cancer patients in Bhutan.
Singye Dema
