Two years ago, over 2,300 Finns were diagnosed with lung cancer. Nearly 2,000 of them have died from the disease.
Meanwhile, 4,340 people were diagnosed with breast cancer. Around 820 of them succumbed to the disease.
The number of women who fall from lung cancer is on the rise. Satu Lipponen, the communications director of the Finnish Cancer Organisations, says this is mainly due to an increase in female smokers.
For men, the most common cancers are prostate cancer followed by lung cancer and colon cancer. For women, breast cancer, colon cancer and uterine cancer are the most widespread. Meanwhile, fewer people are falling ill with cancers of the cervix and stomach.
Lipponen says that more people will be diagnosed with cancer as the population ages. Currently, around 215,000 Finns have battled the disease at some point in their lives.
A total of 27,609 Finns were diagnosed with cancer in 2008. In 2007, the number was 26,167.
