Be serious about treating cancer

The National Letters

I WAS saddened to hear that our late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare died from pancreatic cancer.
I know the prognosis for such a cancer, given the human resources expertise and facilities in our country.
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease.
Early diagnosis can be very difficult because pancreatic cancer is one of those insidious diseases.
It is unfortunate now that our Grand Chief had to die from this dreadful disease of cancer.
His death reminds the Government again to consider calls made by Abau MP Sir Puka Temu, Aitape-Lumi PM Patrick Pruaitch and Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru to take cancer seriously by not only increase funding efforts to treat it and improving the health system, but to build a cancer hospital as well.
Cancer has always been a major cause of morbidity and mortality.
Unfortunately, it has not got the attention it needed because of the lack of sufficient medical education and knowledge in this area in PNG in terms of clinical appearances and the scientific principles on which management is based.
In fact, cancer usually takes a long time to manifest itself.
I think most of our clinicians have traditionally focused their interest on the end stages of the disease or palliation and not really on preventive oncology.
Cancer is said to be a lifestyle disease but its incidence can vary according to age, sex, site of origin and various environmental factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, other life style habits (not eating a healthy diet, not exercising, obesity, other risky behaviours) and genetic factors.
I support the call by Sir Puka to build a standalone cancer hospital in honour of our Grand Chief.
However, as a person trained in cancer treatment by radiation and oncology and having worked in a number of countries, I would recommend the following strategies for the Government to consider in comprehensively addressing our cancer problem in PNG.
It is frightening to know that the cancer morbidity and mortality figures will definitely increase with the increased diagnostic methods and facilities we will have.
That is why greater awareness and preparations are needed now.
Here are my recommendations the Government should do to control the cancer problem in PNG:

  • WE need to establish a national cancer or tumour registry to be in place to keep information on cancer incidence and deaths.

The last registry was done and stopped in the mid-1970s when the radiotherapy unit was established in Lae;

  • SUFFICIENT education in cancer/neoplasia or oncology should be in place at all stages of medical training in the country;
  • THE Government should make human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination mandatory for our young adults to prevent cervical cancer in women;
  • WE should train more health workers in oncology, including specialist doctors;
  • BUILD a comprehensive oncology or cancer centre/hospital for the country for research, training, prevention and treatment of cancers;
  • INCREASE the legal smoking, alcohol and betel nut consumption age to at least 21 years and enforce laws prohibiting underage drinking and smoking; and,
  • PUBLIC health interventions and awareness on all forms of cancer prevention should be a priority of the Health Department.

I believe some of the above public health interventions are cost-effective approaches as cancer is not only a difficult disease to treat but very expensive as well.
Cancer is very difficult to treat because we do not know the cause of up to 90 per cent of the human cancers.
However, it has been demonstrated that there is correlation between the age of smoking and alcohol consumption.
Therefore, the Government should take the policy interventions such as the smoking and alcohol consumption ages seriously.
The Government should take vaccination for the young pre-puberty adults, especially girls, seriously in order to prevent cervix caner among women later on in life.

Peter Kufa Bire (ML)
Radiation Therapist