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Cancer: Africa's Goliath

When you google 'Oncology in Africa' these are the article titles which come up on the first page:

Cancer in Africa: Fighting a nameless Enemy

 

Cancer in Africa is like a 'Runaway train'

 

Oncology: A Forgotten Territory in Africa


Cancer is so mystical in Africa that in the 2000 to 3000 languages in Africa, there is no vernacular word with direct translation for 'cancer'.

In Africa, the incidence of cancer is increasing, but it remains a low public health priority because resources are limited and there are other pressing medical problems, such as AIDS/HIV infection, malaria, and tuberculosis.

Most of the efforts and helps provided by the Western countries to Africa are spent to prevent and cure infectious diseases and malnutrition, leaving the patients with cancer to their poor destiny. In fact, oncology in Africa seems to be a branch of the medicine that is practiced only by the local traditional healers, procuring devastating effects on the natural history of the tumors. Generally, cancer is mystified, preventative actions are not taken and treatment engagement is deficient.

As much as 95% of cancer patients in the African countries are diagnosed at late- or end-stage disease. The delayed diagnosis for these patients is due to the low level of cancer awareness between the population and the health workers, culture and constraints on access to specialized care, usually nonexistent in these countries.


A series of cancer prevention and awareness posters designed for use in Africa has been developed in collaboration with the ESMO Developing Countries Task Force.


These posters aim to demonstrate how simple lifestyle changes can greatly reduce the likelihood of developing many cancers, and highlight, among other things, smoking cessation, daily exercise, healthy diet, and the importance of hepatitis B vaccination in preventing liver cancer.



The future of cancer medicine in developing countries should be on the basis of the demystification of cancer through positive information, coupled to an effective organization that allows for the optimal use of available resources, facilitates access to specialized care and promotes the flow of knowledge and technology among physicians.


For more insights visit:
http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/18/12/2046.full
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/01/us-cancer-africa-ghana-idUSBRE8400ET20120501
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/736870

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