By AZE.US
More than 15,000 people in Azerbaijan were diagnosed with malignant tumors in 2025, with women accounting for more recorded cases than men, according to recently released statistics.
Farid Museyibov, an oncologist and associate professor with a Ph.D. in medicine, said the number of cancer cases in the country continues to rise.
Speaking to Demokrat.az, Museyibov pointed to the growing use of tobacco products among Azerbaijani women as one potential risk factor.
While electronic cigarettes were previously used predominantly by men, conventional cigarettes and vaping products have become increasingly popular among women, he said. Hookah smoking has also become more widespread.
The oncologist additionally highlighted unhealthy diets, excess weight and insufficient physical activity, all of which are associated with a higher risk of developing certain cancers.
Museyibov also cited hereditary predisposition, hormonal disorders and the absence of breastfeeding among possible contributing factors. He urged women with a family history of breast, cervical or other cancers to undergo regular medical examinations.
The doctor further expressed concerns about abortions, later marriage and declining birth rates. These statements represent his assessment, however, and do not establish a direct causal relationship between those circumstances and cancer.
According to the World Health Organization, established cancer risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, obesity, air pollution and certain chronic infections. Persistent infection with particular types of human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the primary cause of cervical cancer.
Museyibov stressed that early diagnosis can significantly improve treatment outcomes.
“People are often more afraid of undergoing an early examination than of cancer itself,” he said, urging women not to delay medical consultations and routine screenings.
AZE.US