693 cancer cases recorded in first six months of 2024

Oct 12, 2024 News

…breast cancer most prevalent

693 cancer cases recorded in first six months of 2024

Kaieteur News – Six hundred and ninety-three cancer cases have been recorded by the Ministry of Health’s cancer registry for the first half of 2024, the registry reported. Among the cancers identified, breast cancer was the most prevalent with 149 cases.

There were 91 cases of prostate cancer, 62 cases of cervix cancer and 57 cases of colorectal cancer. Additionally, 10 cases of ovarian cancer were reported while there were 51 cases of endometrial cancer.

Fourteen cases of thyroid cancer, 12 cases of stomach cancer, 10 cases of lung and bronchus cancer as well as uterus cancer and nine cases each of liver and kidney cancers were recorded.

The cancer registry also reported that there were eight cases of lymphoma, seven cases each of bladder and tongue cancers, six pancreas cases and five esophageal cancers. Four cases of brain cancer were recorded while there was one case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML+ALL).

The registry also noted that there were no cases of bile duct cancer, while 161 cases were classified as “other.”

Cancer mortality in 2023 compared to 2022

The cancer registry also reported a 38 percent increase in cancer cases in 2023, when compared to the previous year.

The cancer registry revealed a troubling trend in cancer mortality rates, with deaths rising from 443 in 2022 to 612 in 2023, marking a significant increase. Between 2019 and 2020, a total of 565 cancer deaths were recorded. Prostate cancer statistics show fluctuations over the years: 88 deaths in 2020, 81 in 2021, 71 in 2022, and 76 in 2023, the registry disclosed.

For lung cancer, there were 16 deaths in 2020, rising to 20 in 2022, and then increasing to 29 in 2023. Colorectal cancer deaths also saw a rise, with 16 deaths in 2020, 20 in 2021, 18 in 2022, and 29 in 2023. It is important to note that these figures primarily reflect male patients.

Turning to female cancer statistics, breast cancer accounted for 50 deaths in 2020, 64 in 2021, 53 in 2022, and 56 in 2023. Lung cancer fatalities among women were reported at eight in both 2020 and 2021, dropping to six in 2022 before rising sharply to 17 in 2023.

Colorectal cancer resulted in eight deaths in 2020, 25 in 2021, 23 in 2022, and a decrease to 13 in 2023. For cervical cancer, deaths rose from 26 in 2020 to 35 in 2021, and then to 43 in 2022 and increasing to 45 in 2023. Lastly, ovarian cancer deaths were recorded at 22 in 2020, 16 in 2021, eight in 2022, and 14 in 2023.

Meanwhile, on January 1, 2024, Kaieteur News reported that Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony said that his ministry is doing everything possible to fight and win the battle against cancer in Guyana starting with a myriad of strategies to assist the process.

He announced that there has also been significant improvement in turnaround time from biopsy to diagnosis.

Previously, the results of a biopsy took approximately three months. This time has been reduced to less than seven days at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

“We are going to introduce in the first quarter of next year (2024) telepathology, this is another project that we have been working with Mount Sinai on. We have already bought the equipment to do telepathology, we have started the renovation of a section of the Georgetown Hospital to accommodate this new lab and once that is completed, we will install the equipment, we have already trained the staff of the hospital to be able to do telepathology and they would be directly linked to the Mount Sinai lab,” Dr. Anthony stated.

High-resolution images will be taken of biopsy samples which will then be forwarded to a pathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, and a diagnosis made, this will also help improve the waiting time for results. (Adapted from DPI)

(693 cancer cases recorded)

breast cancer, cancer, cancer registry, increase, Ministry of Health

Latest News