Cancer Be the voice that’s needed

The National Weekender

By GELINDE NAREKINE

Genetic changes that cause cancer as a result of errors that occur as cells divide, can be inherited or arise from certain environmental exposures.

CANCERS are on the rise the world over. A small percentage of cancers are hereditary, meaning they have the potential to be passed on from generation to generations – likened to a ‘generational curse’, whilst most are lifestyle related.
Many types of cancer occur due to various factors, both synthetic and biological, that may serve as carcinogens – which are basically, cancer causing agents. For example, tobacco is a risk factor, and therefore, a number of major cancers are associated with smoking, very much due to presence of numerous highly carcinogenic agents in tobacco.
Then, what is cancer? Cancer is a disease that is characterised by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that have the ability to spread locally, invading and killing surrounding tissues. It also has the potential to invade lymph channels and blood vessels and therefore can spreading to distant sites.
Because of errors that occur as cells divide, changes can happen to genes – the basic physical units of inheritance. Thus, these genetic changes can be inherited or arise from certain environmental exposures.

Cancer cells can break away from the original tumor and from additional tumors somewhere else within the body.

Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. Normally, human cells grow and multiply to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old or become damaged, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes, this orderly process breaks down, and abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply when they should not. These cells may form tumors, which are lumps of tissues that can further grow to become cancerous.
Cancer cells can break away from the original tumor and travel through the blood and lymph system to distant locations in the body. When there, they can exit the vessels to form additional tumors, through the process called metastasis.
At the global level, collective efforts are being orchestrated to effectively address issues relating to prevention, detection, and management of cancer. In line with that, thus, established in 2000, World Cancer Day is held on the 4th of February, each year. It is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control.
On this date, supporters of World Cancer Day sum up their collective efforts in raising worldwide awareness, improving education, and catalyzing personal and government actions. Through this initiative, the supporters thus, reimagine a world where millions of cancer deaths are prevented and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equally available for all.
The new three-year campaign is about addressing the barriers that prevent people around the world from accessing the cancer care they need. This first year of the ‘Close the Care Gap’ campaign is all about understanding and recognizing the inequalities in cancer care around the globe. These inequalities thus, include – ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and lifestyle.
Whilst potential barriers to accessing care include – income, education, geographical location, and discrimination. The most disadvantaged groups are also likely to have increased exposures to a host of other risk factors, like tobacco, unhealthy diet, or environmental hazards.
The initiative deems these factors are not set in stone and therefore, can be changed. Only when we aim for a better future where people live healthier lives and have better access to health and cancer services, no matter where they are born, grow, age, work, or live.
In Papua New Guinea, the Cancer Foundation has taken up this challenge thus, to close the care gap. The Papua New Guinea Cancer Foundation (PNGCF) is a non-governmental organization formed in 2014. It was purposely established to improve coordination of public health programs that focus on cancer prevention. The organisation envisions that it is possible to reduce threat and impact of cancer in this country through successful education, prevention, and clinical support. Its mission is to lead a cohesive approach to minimize impact of cancer.
Together with partner organizations, the PNG Cancer Foundation creates awareness and conducts public health programs that complement the Health Promotions branch of the National Department of Health. All funds raised go towards supporting its public health programmes.
In support of this, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences has a group of student volunteers, under the banner of UPNG Cancer Association (UPNGCA). They support PNGCF in its efforts in promoting equity in cancer care for all Papua New Guineans and work to eliminate barriers that exist in accessing services and receiving care.

Most often cancer-causing genetic changes accumulate slowly as a person ages, leading to higher risk of cancer later in life.

In Papua New Guinean, the major types of cancers affecting our people include cancers of the mouth, breast, cervical, and bowel.
On Friday, Feb 4, members of the UPNGCA organised a small but very significant event to observe the World Cancer Day. The programme involved set up of information and photo displays at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences campus. Some very important information relating to local and global prevalence of cancer of various types, were shared. Those who made an attempt to view the displays were enlightened on some fundamental facts on cancer.
Cancer does not discriminate age, gender, social status, or religious affiliation. We all are vulnerable every single second of a lifetime. It is him or her today. Tomorrow, it could be you, me, or those close to our hearts.
So beyond stigma and ignorance, opportunities have to be created to support ‘close the care gap’ campaign. In so doing, we will help those affected have better access to health and cancer services, no matter where they are, born, grow, age, work, or live.
Cancer is everyone’s business. Be the voice that our people, our country needs. Together we can close this care gap on cancer. We can and we will – only when we believe and care a little more.
Source of information

  • Beena Dagam, PNG Cancer Foundation 2022, Closing the gap on tobacco-related cancers, a seminar presentation at UPNG.
  • National Cancer Institute 2021, What is Cancer? http://www.cancer.gov

    Gelinde Narekine is a technical officer at the UPNG School of Medicine and Health Sciences.