4th February was World Cancer Day and the tag line for the celebration was “Not beyond us”.
The 2015 campaign is to be articulated around four key areas of focus:
- Choosing healthy lives
- Delivering early detection
- Achieving treatment for all
- Maximizing quality of life
As optimistic as I am about the competence of our healthcare system in diagnosing and treating most cancers, I cannot seem to identify with the theme or the campaign. In our setting, I think we will be placing the cart before the horse if we jump at the campaign.
[contextly_sidebar id=”gk58yb3xGGKfSUOHj2wZj4E3cAbgvTwW”]Our problem is that of awareness. Most people, it seems, are of the illusion that cancer is a distant phenomenon, relegated to the realms of rarity, and probably just a conspiracy theory.
The hard truth is that cancer is everywhere and much closer than you may think.
One reason people have this misconception is that they think cancer is a disease of Caucasians.
The World Health Organization estimates that Ghana records about 2000 new cases of breast cancer every year. As small as that number sounds, it is extremely significant, considering breast cancer is only one of numerous cancers diagnosed in Ghana- prostate cancer, cervical cancer, leukaemias, brain cancer, bowel cancer, skin cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, bone cancer: the list goes on and on. Let me put it in proper perspective; every single part of the body can develop a cancer.
The lifetime risk for cancer in the United Kingdom is now 50%- this means that one out of every two people will be diagnosed with one form of cancer at some point in their life. There are no current figures for Ghana, but I don’t think it will lag much behind that of the UK- it is a global trend.
The other reason why we assume cancers are uncommon is our culture of silence- we are generally tight lipped about health issues and especially about non-communicable diseases like cancers. If you search hard enough, you will find that a friend’s mother or your father’s cousin or some other relation has been diagnosed of, treated for or died from one cancer or the other.
The misconception that cancers are uncommon in our parts, I believe, is the reason why some consider this a curse and would seek spiritual rather than medical help, which is the reason why people will present late to the hospital. And that, in turn, is the reason why the prognosis is usually poor.
So, really, it is almost beyond us, doctors, and largely in the hands of the individual.
This dearth of knowledge is due to the paucity of information available about cancers. It therefore goes without saying that we need to spread the word better.
We have to channel more resources into the awareness drive. Breast cancer awareness seems to be leading the pack, but there is still so much more to do. Government agencies, NGOs championing the cause, medical personnel, and the population in general, have a lot more work to do to create the needed level of awareness about cancers.
Since at the moment more people are likely to present late than not, we have to concentrate our efforts on prevention. Here are five tips to help us reduce our risk for cancer, as prescribed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Tip 1: Eat a healthy diet, be physically active, and maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity now affects 20% to 40% of adolescents worldwide. This is an issue because being overweight or obese is strongly linked to an increased risk of developing bowel, breast, uterine, ovarian, pancreatic, esophageal, kidney, and gallbladder cancers later in life. Eat right and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight.
Tip 2: Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
Drinking alcohol is strongly linked with an increased risk of a number of different cancers, including cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, bowel, liver and breast. People who have a high risk for these cancers should talk with their doctors about limiting or even avoiding alcohol to help decrease their risk.
Tip 3: Stop using tobacco.
Tobacco causes at least 22% of all cancer deaths. Talk with your doctor about which approach may work best for you.
Tip 4: Be aware of what you’re breathing.
According to the World Health Organization, the environment contributes to an estimated 19% of cancer diagnoses. An important environmental risk factor for lung cancer is air pollution. To help reduce this risk, use protective breathing equipment if you work with asbestos or other cancer-causing substances.
Tip 5: Take precautions against cancer-causing viruses.
Chronic infections cause about 16% of all cancers worldwide. Several of the most common cancers are linked to infections with cancer-causing viruses. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a risk factor for liver cancer, while the human papillomavirus (HPV) is a risk factor for cervical cancer. There are vaccines that protect against both of these viruses. You can also reduce your risk of HPV infection by limiting the number of sexual partners you have.
Consider this the first lesson.