Early detection key to fighting cancer

By CLEMENT KAUPA 

EARLY detection is vital to treating cancer, says the country’s only radiation oncologist and director of the Memorial Angau Hospital’s cancer treatment centre Dr John Niblett.

But statistics released by him earlier painted an almost hopeless picture of the cancer situation in the country.

Dr Niblet stated that of an estimated 2,000 cancer cases each year, an average of 400 were detected and referred to the cancer centre for treatment.

It is a mere 20%. Most were said to have succumbed under tragic circumstances without treatment and hope. 

Sadly, this situation slides further with Dr Niblett’s disclosure that many of the 40 in-patients at the centre in Lae are at stage two and three malignancy which are terminal and beyond treatment. 

In such cases, the centre is compelled to discharge the patients who return home to await the inevitable, says Dr Niblett. 

A rather cold clinical decision, but one necessitated by critically limited bed space, medication, equipment, medical professionals and clinical staff.

Therefore, early detection is the best way to ensure the best treatment of the different forms of cancer, which Dr Niblett claimed had increased dramatically in PNG since the ’70s.

According to him, the three prevalent forms of malignancy in order of prominence are cervix cancer, mouth cancer and breast cancer. 

He attributed this exponential increase to drastic dietary changes. 

Angau physician Dr Cathy Timothy claims that cancer is hereditary to some extent.   

Both doctors agree that cancer is predominantly a lifestyle disease that can be avoided if appropriate personal changes are made. Dr Niblett said mouth and lung cancers are avoidable if betelnut chewers and smokers drop the habits.

Other internal cancers are blamed on high levels of sugar and fats in processed foods which could be avoided if people switch to more organic-based diets.    

But in a country that is just awakening to the frightening realities of cancer, relevant information and research are disappointingly scarce. 

The situation is aggravated further by a public health sector that lacks the knowledge to diagnose symptoms of cancer early.  

But momentum is picking up at the cancer treatment centre with the commissioning of a new Brachytherapy unit this week.

Female cervix cancer patients can now undergo radiography treatment while patients with benign forms of cancer continue to access chemotherapy.

Though isolated and disproportionate to the rise in cancer cases reported  throughout the country, these are notable strides and can only get better with the continued support of partners like the Cancer Relief Society and others.