Overview of Cancer Control in Armenia and Policy Implications

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Armenia. Over the past two decades, the country has seen a significant rise in cancer morbidity and mortality. This review aims to provide up-to-date info about the state of cancer control in Armenia and identify priority areas of research. The paper analyzes published literature and local and international statistical reports on Armenia and similar countries to put numbers into context. While cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment are improving, the prevalence of risk factors is still quite high and smoking is widespread. Early detection rates are low and several important screening programs are absent. Diagnosis and treatment methods are not standardized; there is a lack of treatment accessibility due to insufficient government coverage and limited availability of essential medicines. Overall, there is room for improvement in this sector, as research is limited and multidisciplinary approaches to the topic are rare.

A Survival Analysis of Patients with Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Based on Relapse Type: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Study in Armenia

“…It should be recognized and emphasized that, especially in a developing country like Armenia, the availability of and accessibility to medications often have a significant impact on the choice of anti-relapse treatment. There is a lack of treatment accessibility due to insufficient government coverage and limited availability of essential medications [ 45 ].…”

Validation of an Eastern Armenian breast cancer health belief survey

“…Armenia does not have an organized breast cancer screening program [5]. To date, breast cancer screening is not part of the basic benefits package, although mammograms are covered under some social packages with employers [24].…”

“…Many higher-income nations have implemented successful breast cancer screening strategies. However, despite the lethality of breast cancer in Armenia and the proven efficacy of breast cancer screening in reducing mortality, Armenia does not currently have an organized breast cancer screening strategy [5].…”

Breast Cancer in Asia: Incidence, Mortality, Early Detection, Mammography Programs, and Risk-Based Screening Initiatives

“…In terms of timeliness, the stage at presentation of breast cancer varies widely throughout Asia. The median proportions of localized (Stage I and II) breast cancers detected in Asian countries, in order of income categories, are 33.6%, 43.0%, 50.0%, and 63.4% [ 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 ]. The corresponding numbers for Stage I breast cancer are 7.2%, 10.7%, 25.6%, and 35.0% ( Figure 2 ).…”