Time to mandate screening of prostate cancer - Leslie
Published:Wednesday | February 9, 2022 | 12:09 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer -
Cancer is a complex group of diseases with many possible causes. The known causes of cancer include genetic factors, lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, certain types of infections and environmental exposures to different types of chemicals and radiation.
According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ (MOHW) Draft National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Cancer in Jamaica 2013-2018, cancer in Jamaica has become a leading cause of death. The report states that from as early as 2010, 3,198 persons (118.2 per 100,000 population) died of cancer (1,749 males and 1,449 females), accounting for 21 per cent of all deaths in Jamaica. Of this total, there were 577 prostate cancer deaths; 329 trachea, bronchus, lung deaths; 153 cervixuteri cancer deaths; 269 colon, rectum, anus cancer deaths; 283 breast cancer deaths; and 194 stomach cancer deaths. As the population of Jamaica continues to age, these figures are likely to increase.
Based on these statistics, the Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS) said there should be an intense focus on cancer awareness, prevention and control, and even more opportunities to sound a clarion cry for screening.
“The need for access to screening grows louder every day, as over 4,000 Jamaicans die of cancer annually. Access to insurance to cover the cost of treatment and diagnostic tests are also critical in the fight to control this disease,” said Michael Leslie, acting executive director at the Jamaica Cancer Society.
Screening is the best way to identify cancer in its earliest stages, often before it causes any symptoms. Without screening, the ability for doctors to detect and therefore successfully treat cancer is greatly diminished. “Though screenings are a vital aspect of comprehensive healthcare, many people either delay or avoid getting screened for cancer for two main reasons - the cost,as a major factor, and the fear of hearing the worst,” Leslie said.
“It is not fair to say that a healthy lifestyle will protect you from a cancer diagnosis, as even vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians are diagnosed with cancer,” Leslie added.
Whether you or someone you love has cancer, knowing what to expect can help you cope; from basic information about cancer and its causes to in-depth information on specific cancer types, including risk factors, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options.
Cancer-screening tests aim to find cancer before it causes symptoms and when it may be easier to treat successfully. An effective screening test is one that finds cancer early, and reduces the chance that someone who is screened regularly will die from the cancer.
Leslie is recommending that with the number of Jamaican men that continue to be diagnosed and die of prostate cancer, public health institutions and general practitioners should consider mandating males at the age of 40 years to undergo screening.
“The goal of screening for prostate cancer is to find cancers that may be at high risk for spreading if not treated, and to find them early before they spread. This may lower the chance of death from prostate cancer in some men,” Leslie said.
Also, with breast cancer being the number one cancer among Jamaican women, and, often, these cases are diagnosed at a late stage, Leslie is recommending that the number of mammographers, radiographers and radiologists who are necessary in the fight against cancer must be increased.
“It is all well and good to increase the number of screened patients, but if the persons who need the mammogram do not have access to one, then the whole system has failed. Private-public partnership in each region to facilitate increased numbers in screening is the way to go, and should be a top priority,” Leslie said.
Cancer, he said, is no longer a death sentence, and with the technology, screening tools that exist, and the partnerships that are currently available, no one person or organisation should be fighting the disease alone.
BENEFITS OF REGULAR CANCER SCREENING
•Getting screened reassures you if the result is normal.
•Cancer screening may help prevent cancer by finding changes in your body that would become cancer if left untreated.
•Cancer screening helps find cancer early, before you have symptoms, when it is easier to treat.
•Cancer screening helps find cancer before it spreads, so that it is easier to treat.
•Early detection may mean less treatment and less time spent recovering.
•The earlier a cancer is detected, the better your chance of survival
REDUCING CANCER RISK
You can reduce your risk of cancer by:
•Having regular screening tests when due.
•Not smoking.
•Avoiding second-hand tobacco smoke (passive smoking).
•Being physically active.
•Maintaining a healthy body weight.
•Avoiding or limiting alcohol.
•Eating a healthy diet.
SOURCE: Ministry of Health and Wellness, Jamaica Cancer Society