Cancer Registry presents first preliminary report
Guyana Chronicle
May 12, 2004
The revelation was made by Chairman of Guyana Cancer Board, Dr Walter Chin when he presented the first preliminary report for the period since the Registry was established in January 2000 to June 2003.
He said the seven most common types of cancer here, in keeping with the global trend, are breast, prostate, cervix, colon, stomach, lung and liver.
One hundred and ten of the victims succumbed to prostate, 79 to breast, 56 to colon, 53 to stomach and 45 to lung cancers.
Although more persons were diagnosed with breast than prostate cancer, a greater number died of the latter.
Giving more details, Chin said 26 of the 30 liver cancer patients or 86.7 per cent died, followed by 86.5 per cent with lung cancer; 86.1 per cent with colon cancer; 85.5 per cent with stomach cancer; 72.4 per cent with prostate cancer; 46.7 per cent with breast cancer and 30.1 per cent with cancer of the cervix.
He said the data will enable the disease clinic to determine what can be done to reduce the incidence and which types are preventable.
According to Chin, worldwide statistics confirm that breast and colon cancers are related to obesity and it is most natural to educate the population on lessen the occurrence.
Liver cancer is caused by alcohol intake and prevention measures include less consumption while persons who do not exercise often expose themselves to breast, prostate and colon cancers, Chin pointed out.
He told reporters that because treatment for cancer is rarely available and very expensive in Guyana, it is much better to educate the populace on preventing it.
Chin said breast cancer is most prevalent in females and 79 of the 169 died after diagnosis.
While the number of cases in the 25 to 34 years age group showed a decline, there was a significant increase in the 75 to 84 years range and amongst teenagers.
The report stressed the importance of educating women on self-examination of the breast, along with mammography, for early detection of the disease.
Chin said cervical cancer, once detected in the early stages, is highly preventable.
“We should not be seeing these cases, because anything abnormal in the cervical area can be detected by pap smears,” he stated.
Prostate cancer mostly affects males and has a 100 per cent fatality rate in the 45 to 54 age group.
Stomach, lung and liver cancers also have a very high fatality rate, Chin said.
With him to meet the media were Dr Louis Garcia, of Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Registrar of the Cancer Registry, Ms Penny Lane and Registry Officer Ms Jacqulin Embleton.