Among the newly identified female cancer patients 25% were reportedly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Consultant Community physician. Dr. Nayana De Alwis attached to NCCP states that 16,888 cancer patients were identified in 2009 and the numbers have been increasing annually.

It has been revealed that 1/3 of cancers can be prevented by maintaining a healthy life style.

Healthy lifestyle

According to Dr. Alwis cancers can be prevented by developing healthy lifestyle,adapting healthy eating habits, exercising, avoiding stress, alcohol and cigarettes.

She further stated that limiting the consumption of food which contain high content of sugar,oil and salt and processed meat such a sausages and meatballs; adding fish containing healthy fat to the diet; consuming food which contain healthy content of carbohydrate which supports the maintenance of weight proportionate to height and increasing the consumption of natural vegetables and fruits will decrease the chances of cancer.