BREAST cancer is the now leading cause of death amongst women in Solomon Islands followed by cervical cancer.
This was revealed by the head of the Oncology Unit at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara which looks after the registry of all cancer cases in the county.
Dr Andrew Soma highlighted this last Friday in a radio awareness on the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) to mark the World Cancer Day which falls on February 4.
In the lead up to the celebration, Dr Soma highlighted that in Solomon Islands and the world at large that out of eight cancer cases, one breast cancer patient dies each day.
He said breast cancer is now the leading cause of death in the country.
“The trend of death related to cancer is on the rise.”
Dr Soma said the clinics are seeing young patients in their early 20s and 30s diagnosed with cancer.
Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death amongst women in the country.
Some other common cancers are lung, prostate, liver, thyroid, blood and bone.
He warned the public that it is important to go for checkups to ensure early detection and treatment.
“Early detection and treatment are very important,” he said.
Dr Soma also highlighted some of the risk factors and causes of cancer and these are obesity, smoking, alcohol, eating of processed food and genetics.
Meanwhile, according to latest figures from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised branch of the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), cancer rates will rise by 77 percent by 2050.
“Global cancer cases are expected to rise around 77 percent by the middle of the century,” UN health authorities said last Thursday, highlighting the growing burden of the disease.
There are predicted to be more than 35 million cancer cases during 2050, up from the estimated 20 million in 2022.
The increase reflects both population ageing and growth, as well as changes to people’s exposure to risk factors. Tobacco, alcohol and obesity are key factors, along with air pollution.
Richer countries are expected to have the greatest absolute increase in cancer cases, with an additional 4.8 million new cases predicted in 2050.
However, low and middle-income countries should see a higher proportional increase in cancer, while mortality is projected too almost double.
The estimates from the IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory are based on the best sources of data available from 185 countries and covers 36 different forms of cancer.
They were published alongside a WHO survey from 115 countries which showed that the majority do not adequately finance priority cancer and palliative care services as part of universal health coverage.
Ten types of cancer collectively comprised around two-thirds of new cases and deaths globally in 2022, the IARC said.
Lung cancer is the most commonly occurring form of cancer worldwide with 2.5 million new cases. It accounts for more than 12 per cent of all new cases and 18.9 per cent of deaths, 1.8 million, making it the leading cause of cancer deaths.
Female breast cancer ranks second in terms of occurrence, with 2.3 million cases, worldwide or 11.6 percent, but accounts for 6.9 percent of deaths.
Other commonly occurring cancers are colorectal, prostate and stomach cancers.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, followed by liver, breast and stomach cancer.
Cervical cancer is the eighth most commonly occurring cancer globally, the ninth leading cause of cancer death and the most common cancer in women in 25 countries, many of whom are in sub-Saharan Africa.
The IARC estimates, which were issued ahead of the 2024 World Cancer Day on 4 February, also revealed striking inequalities, particularly in breast cancer.
One in 12 women in richer countries will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime and one in 71 will die of it, the agency said.
But although only one in 27 women in poorer countries will receive a positive breast cancer diagnosis, one in 48 will die.
These women “are at a much higher risk of dying of the disease due to late diagnosis and inadequate access to quality treatment,” Deputy Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram said.
The WHO survey also reveals significant global inequities in cancer services. For example, higher income countries are up to seven times more likely to include lung cancer-related services in their health benefits packages.
“WHO, including through its cancer initiatives, is working intensively with more than 75 governments to develop, finance and implement policies to promote cancer care for all,” Director of its Department of Non-communicable Diseases Dr Bente Mikkelsen said when underlining the need for greater investment.
By MOFFAT MAMU
Solomon Star, Gizo
