Colorectal cancer in Turkey: current situation and challenges for the future

Cancer is foremost among one of the major public health problems in Turkey. Projections for the year 2030 estimate that cancer will take the highest death toll for both males and females. In line with the dynamic health care reform process commencing in 2003, the national cancer policy of Turkey has also changed radically. Cancer became more visible as a public health problem and improvements have been made in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In addition, major steps have been taken to improve the cancer registry system in order to improve cancer statistics. Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence is approximately 7 per 100,000, with approximately 5,000 new cases and 3,200 deaths annually. Although cancer treatment expenditures are widely covered in Turkey, there are still problems related to the general accessibility of the health care system. This paper addresses the case of cancer in Turkey with special focus on CRC. Specifically, detailed information is provided about the health care and cancer policies, improvements since 2003 and challenges for the future.