Citing data of the national health insurance fund (NEAK) on the occasion of National Cancer Awareness Day, the daily said that three forms of cancer are among the ten illnesses with the largest impact on the central budget.

Leukaemia, cancerous illnesses of the digestive tract and breast cancer cost the country a total of 175 billion forints (EUR 564.4m) a year, the paper said.

Although most forms of cancer are curable when treated from an early stage, merely 30-40% of Hungarians go to regular screenings, it said. National Cancer Awareness Day has been held in Hungary on April 10 since 1993.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.