October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many persons have been known to commemorate it by wearing pink clothing or simply a pink ribbon to remember those who have lost their lives to breast cancer.
Although the figures associated with this type of cancer have been declining health officials have warned that persons should not become complacent. Screening in order to facilitate early detection is a key factor to combating this disease. Once detected early, cancer can be dispelled altogether.
A Cancer Surveillance Report [covering the cancer situation between 2003 and 2012] launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Public Health revealed that in excess of 6,000 individuals were diagnosed with cancer.
It was reported, then, that while on a global scale lung cancer was deemed the leading cause of cancer deaths; in Guyana breast cancer was responsible for the highest number of cancer related fatalities. However, according to later reports cervical cancer has since taken the lead interms of prevalence.
The Cancer Surveillance Report had revealed that there were 1,090 cases of breast cancer over the period under consideration in the report. Following the prevalence of breast cancer was cancer of the cervix which accounts for 1,014 cases; prostate (865 cases); colo-rectal (440 cases); uterus (325 cases); stomach (240 cases); lung (233 cases); liver (219 cases); ovary (212 cases) and lymphoma (136 cases).
According to health officials while awareness is always important, the onus is still on individuals, both men and women, to be screened so that cancer, once present, can be tackled at an early stage. While self breast examination can help to detect problems, getting the support of medical experts is also an important tactic in helping to fight breast cancer.