World Cancer Day: Together we can beat cancer sooner

nongovernmental health organizations towards making the strategy to fight against cancer as well as distributing the real message about this epidemic disease and its treatments including its precautionary measures by uniting all the people a day on global basis.

The theme of the World Cancer Day 2016, 2017 and 2018 is “We can. I can.” The day is also celebrated to make aware the normal people about the risk factors and preventive measures of the cancer to get prevented or its early detection. It is celebrated to make the normal aware about all the reality of the cancer like its symptoms, causing factors, treatment, and etc.

Cancer is a major public health problem in Tanzania. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there were approximately 21,000 new cancer patients in Tanzania in 2002. About 32.5 per cent of all deaths due to cancer occur among people below 60 years of age. For women in this age group, cancer is responsible for about 43 per cent of deaths.

Delay in diagnosis is a substantial problem for cancer patients in Tanzania and the majority of them die during the first year after being diagnosed. Across the country, about 95 per cent of cancer patients die at home and only 5 per cent in hospital. It is estimated that 25 per cent of Tanzania’s population is at the risk of cancer.

In women, cancer of the cervix and breast are the most common types. Cancer of the Cervix represents about 35-40 per cent of all cancer cases and 55-65 per cent of all cancers in women. Current estimates indicate that every year 7,515 women in Tanzania are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 6,009 die of the disease.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer. Among men, Kaposi’s sarcoma, followed by esophagus and head and neck cancers, are the commonest, while there is evidence that incidence of cancer of the prostate is on a rapid upward trend.

According to the specialists 66 per cent of cancer cases depend on lifestyle factors, including diet. Some foods actually increase risks of cancer, while others support the body and strengthen the immune system.

Research shows that a large percentage of cancer-related deaths are directly linked to lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, a lack of exercise, and an unhealthy diet. Avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, reaching a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise are a great start to preventing cancer.

ORCI, the only specialist cancer treatment centre in the country, attends to an estimated 4,000 new patients every year and has been desperately trying to cope with the influx of people in need of treatment.

There are over 200 different known cancers that affect humans. The life threatening cancerous disease costs the lives of at least 40,000 Tanzanians annually.

Tanzania plans to deploy at least 400 health experts overseas for specialised courses on cancer treatment as an urgent national intervention because of the rapid increase in the number of cases reported each year.