Speaking to ETV on heels of last week's pan-Baltic hematology conference in Tallinn, Laane said that the lives of patients diagnosed with even severe forms of cancer such as chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia can now be extended 10 to 15 years.

"Whereas earlier we would be talking about whether a patient would survive and how long he would live, now we're talking about whether he can have children. The problems have changed dramatically," said Laane.

Laane attributed the improvements to the advent of new drugs, including so-called targeted drugs designed to act on specific molecules or mutations. Better diagnostics have also played a role, he said.

Treatments for hematological diseases, Laane noted, are becoming much more accessible in Estonia, though the drugs can be extremely expensive, costing 2,000 to 3,000 euros per month.

Steve Roman