Cervical cancer cases rise

CERVICAL cancer is the major contributor to cancer-related deaths in the country.
Statistics provided by the Zimbabwe Cancer Registry show that cancer-related deaths increased by 25,5 percent, with cervical cancer accounting for 13 percent of deaths recorded.
The recent statistics are for 2013 and they show that cancer-related deaths increased from 1 556 to 2 062.

“Leading causes of deaths were cervical cancer with 13 percent. Prostate cancer accounts for nine percent, sarcoma eight percent, primary liver cancer eight percent, breast cancer seven percent and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) related deaths stood at seven percent,” said Mr Erick Chokunoga the Zimbabwe Cancer Registry Registrar.

“A record 6 548 new cases of cancer representing an increase of 6,7 percent was recorded. Of these cases, cervical cancer accounted for 18 percent of the cases.

“This shows that cervical cancer is slowly becoming a giant killer.
“Resources and measures should be taken to address high cases of cervical cancer which seems not to be easily curable as evidenced by high cases of cervical cancer deaths.”

Mr Chokunonga said scaling up of cervical cancer screening will be helpful as it will assist in detecting cervical cancer at an early stage, as it is curable.

“Prevalence of cervical cancer in the country and the resultant deaths is worrying.
“Early cervical cancer screening is ideal hence women should get screened.

“An early detection will be good in that it helps to combat the virus before it spreads,” said Mr Chokunonga.
The registrar also said cancer continues to be on the increase in Zimbabwe because of changes in lifestyle, diet and other factors.

He added that the country’s cancer registry will soon be operating at full capacity which will result in them coming up with district-based results.

He said the Ministry of Health and Child Care was highly committed to combating the disease.
“We thank our parent ministry (Ministry of Health and Child Care) for their continued support by creating two permanent posts for Bulawayo branch.

“This development has strengthened the cancer registry’s office resulting in increased national coverage and improved data quality.”

Cancer is now the leading non-communicable killer disease in the country.
Figures have shown that in 2014 non-communicable diseases — diseases that cannot be transmitted from one person to another — accounted for 31 percent of all deaths recorded in the country with cancer topping the list with 10 percent of the deaths followed by cardio vascular disease (nine percent), with diabetes recording one percent.