Focus on Cancer
World Health Organization Cancer Fact sheet N°297 (Updated February 2014)
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide,
accounting for 8.2 million deaths in 2012 (1). The most common causes of cancer
death are cancers of:
lung (1.59 million deaths)
liver (745 000 deaths)
stomach (723 000 deaths)
colorectal (694 000 deaths)
breast (521 000 deaths)
oesophageal cancer (400 000 deaths) (1).
*Cancers figure among the leading causes of
death worldwide, accounting for 8.2 million deaths in 2012 (1).
*Lung, liver, stomach, colorectal and breast
cancers cause the most cancer deaths each year.
*The most frequent types of cancer differ
between men and women.
*About 30% of cancer deaths are due to the five
leading behavioral and dietary risks: high body mass index, low fruit and
vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol use.
*Tobacco use is the most important risk factor
for cancer causing over 20% of global cancer deaths and about 70% of global
lung cancer deaths.
*Cancer causing viral infections such as HBV/HCV
and HPV are responsible for up to 20% of cancer deaths in low- and
middle-income countries (2).
*More than 60% of world’s total new annual cases
occur in Africa, Asia and Central and South America. These regions account for
70% of the world’s cancer deaths (1).
What causes cancer?
Cancer arises from one single cell. The
transformation from a normal cell into a tumour cell is a multistage process,
typically a progression from a pre-cancerous lesion to malignant tumours. These
changes are the result of the interaction between a person's genetic factors
and three categories of external agents, including:
*physical
carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation;
*chemical
carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, aflatoxin (a
food contaminant) and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant); and
*biological
carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria or parasites
*Ageing
is another fundamental factor for the development of cancer. The incidence of
cancer rises dramatically with age, most likely due to a build up of risks for
specific cancers that increase with age.
Risk factors for cancers
Tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet and
physical inactivity are the main cancer risk factors worldwide. Chronic
infections from hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and some types of
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are leading risk factors for cancer in low- and
middle-income countries. Cervical cancer, which is caused by HPV, is a leading
cause of cancer death among women in low-income countries.
(extracted from The World Health Organisation Website) For more information prevention, diagnosis treatment and other related topics please visit this site on.
In the African region
The regional burden of cancer continues to
grow; tackling it constitutes one of the major challenges in our Region. The
most common cancers in the African Region are cancers of the cervix, breast,
liver and prostate as well as Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
(extracted from World Health organization
website
Zimbabwe and Cancer
" It is
difficult to get correct figures in developing countries such as Zimbabwe and
South Africa to name a few, because cancers are not captured by the routine
National Health Information System due to patients not presenting for treatment
or registering deaths. Research has shown that the five commonest cancers in
Black Zimbabwean women are cervical cancer (33.9%), breast cancer (9.7%),
Kaposi sarcoma (9.6%), eye (8.7%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (4.1%). It is also estimated
that 3,700 women die per year of cervical cancer in South Africa. In Zimbabwe,
HIV and AIDS contributed 60% of cancers in 2005 (Chokunonga et al, 2010).
Cancer mortality in Zimbabwe is still high
mainly due to late presentation of disease, inter-current diseases including
HIV and limited access to early detection and treatment services. Also most of
the developing governments focus mainly on diseases like Cholera, HIV and AIDS
and Malaria while non-communicable diseases like cancer are left with limited
funding. However Cervical Cancer screening is supported by the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) ( Chireka 2014)
( extracted from New Zimbabwe Dr Chireka: lets talk about cervical cancer
( extracted from New Zimbabwe Dr Chireka: lets talk about cervical cancer
Below are some local Zimbabwe news articles that expand and elaborate on cancer in Zimbabwe.
1.
Cancer patients suffer in silence
2. Cases
of prostate cancer on the rise http://www.thestandard.co.zw/2014/05/18/cases-prostate-cancer-rise/
3. Human
papillomavirus genotypes in cervical cancer and vaccination challenges in
Zimbabwe
4. Risk factors associated with oesophageal
cancer in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
5. Progress report: St. Albert’s Mission Hospital
Cervical Cancer Prevention Program
6. Situation analysis for cervical cancer
diagnosis and treatment in east, central and southern African countries.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2566349/
7.
Assessing the Effects of Estrogen on the
Dynamics of Breast Cancer
9.
Some books online on cancer include:
Fight against cancer: strategies that prevent,
cure and care
Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting
Psychosocial Health Needs BY Committee on Psychosocial Services to Cancer
Patients/Families in a Community Setting, Nancy E. Adler and Ann E. K. Page
(Editors). National Academies Press, 2008, 456 pp
Cancer control: knowledge into action http://www.who.int/entity/cancer/modules/en/index.html
Cancer Medicine BY Kufe, Donald W.; Pollock,
Raphael E.; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.; Bast, Robert C., Jr.; Gansler, Ted S.;
Holland, James F.; Frei III, Emil (Editors)
World Cancer Report 2014
In our Library Book Collection we also have:
1. World cancer Report by World Health Organization
2. Clinical oncology:
basic principles and practice by A J Neal and P J Hoskin
3. Management of gynecological cancers in older women by S M Lichtman
and R AS Audisio
DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer
principles and practice of oncology edited by VT DeVita Jr, T S Lawrence, S A
RosenbergFor more such books and further assistance Visit our library or chat with us on our Facebook page ...
Happy studying
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