PRESS RELEASE (February 5, 2021): In the Caribbean region, cancer is the second leading cause of death. However, a significant number of cancer deaths can largely be prevented through primary prevention, screening and early detection, timely diagnosis and treatment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 30%
and 50% of cancer deaths could be prevented by modifying or avoiding key risk
factors and implementing existing evidence-based prevention strategies.[1]
“Breast and cervical cancer are the leading causes of cancer
deaths in women and in Caribbean men, prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths, followed by lung cancer. This can have a
significant negative societal impact in our Region. Cervical cancer is
perhaps the most preventable through education, screening, early detection,
treatment and vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV),
and Caribbean countries must work towards the elimination of cervical cancer,”
stated Dr Joy St John, Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency
(CARPHA).
A person’s risk of
developing cancer can be substantially reduced through the adoption of healthy
lifestyles and the practice of suitable health seeking behaviours. This can go a long way toward reducing
cancer risks and the associated personal and financial costs. Prevention
measures include avoiding the use of tobacco, limiting alcohol use, maintaining
a healthy weight, being physically active, eating a diet rich in fruits and
vegetables, and participation in early detection and screening programmes.
A growing recognition of the increasing burden of NCDs
regionally and the need for stronger surveillance systems to track cancers have
been driving factors in cancer registration efforts in the region to date.
Current work to strengthen cancer registration in the Caribbean is coordinated
by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Caribbean Cancer
Registry Hub established at CARPHA.[3]
CARPHA is committed to working with key partners to reduce the
burden of cancer in the Region. Through the Caribbean Hub’s work,
Ministries of Health, and cancer registries in CARPHA Member States have benefitted
from advocacy, technical support, training, and capacity building for
strengthening cancer registration. This has contributed to an improvement
in the availability and quality of cancer data, needed to support decision
making for improving cancer prevention and control in the Caribbean.
The Agency also works
with other CARICOM agencies and international institutions to impact trade
agreements and influence the availability and access to healthy foods to
support the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cancer.
The theme for World
Cancer Day from 2019 to 2021 is “I Am and I Will”. This year is a
reminder of the enduring power of cooperation and collective action. When we
choose to come together, we can achieve what we all wish for: a world without
cancer. The fight to reduce cancer deaths cannot be achieved in
isolation. On February 4, CARPHA joins its Member States and the rest of
the world to unite to make cancer prevention a health priority. Everyone
can help reduce the burden of cancer by playing our part. Together,
all of our actions matter. This World Cancer Day, what will you do?