The dreaded disease cancer, in all forms, is increasingly affecting people throughout the world and is of growing concern to health care services and systems.

According to the World health Organisation (WHO) cancer rates could further increase by 50% to 15 million new cases in the year 2020, according to the World Cancer Report, the most comprehensive global examination of the disease to date. However, the report also provides clear evidence that healthy lifestyles and public health action by governments and health practitioners could stem this trend, and prevent as many as one third of cancers worldwide.

In the year 2000, malignant tumours were responsible for 12 per cent of the nearly 56 million deaths worldwide from all causes. In many countries, more than a quarter of deaths are attributable to cancer. In 2000, 5.3 million men and 4.7 million women developed a malignant tumour and altogether 6.2 million died from the disease. The report also reveals that cancer has emerged as a major public health problem in developing countries, matching its effect in industrialised nations.

“The World Cancer Report tells us that cancer rates are set to increase at an alarming rate globally. We can make a difference by taking action today. We have the opportunity to stem this increase. This report calls on Governments, health practitioners and the general public to take urgent action. Action now can prevent one third of cancers, cure another third, and provide good, palliative care to the remaining third who need it, “said Dr Paul Kleihues, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and co-editor of the World Cancer Report.

In recent years though, cervical cancer has become a worrisome issue and is also increasingly affecting women throughout the world. Fortunately, this disease is curable if detected in its early stages and WHO has approved a vaccine-Cervarix which can save millions of lives.

“Cervarix can save millions of women’s lives throughout the world, but only if it reaches those who need it most,” said Jean Stéphenne, president of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Biologicals.

More than 80 percent of the estimated 280,000 cervical cancer deaths a year occur in developing countries. In the West, early diagnosis and treatment has slashed the disease’s incidence.

Last year, the global health association GAVI, formerly known as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, prioritised the purchase of cervical cancer vaccines for the world’s 73 poorest countries. GAVI includes U.N. agencies, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation and is a major buyer of vaccines for the developing world.

In 2007, there were over 550,000 new cases of cervical cancer worldwide, and approximately 260,000 deaths from cervical cancer. The overwhelming majority of these women were in developing countries, where cervical cancer screening programmes and infrastructures for prevention, diagnoses, and treatment are weak. In the United States, the cervical cancer incidence rate is much lower. It was estimated that 11,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer and approximately 3,700 deaths from cervical cancer occurred in the United States in 2007. This lower rate is attributable to the success of the widespread use of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test, which detects changes in cervical tissue, and is a major tool in screening for early identification of cervical cancer.

If detected early, cervical cancer is highly treatable. In the United States, it is recommended that women receive Pap tests at least once every three years. However, many women still do not receive Pap tests at the recommended frequency. In particular, Asian/Pacific Islander women have significantly lower rates of Pap tests than women of other races. Cervical cancer incidence and mortality are approximately 1.5 times higher among African American and Latina women, compared to White women. Researchers have postulated several reasons for these disparities, including fear, cost, lack of physician referral, and cultural issues.

Here in Guyana the Ministry of Health has adopted a very proactive approach on cervical cancer and in this regard has intensified its education, sensitisation and awareness campaigns as well screening and Pap tests.

For this year, so far 2,239 women underwent tests in Guyana, 394 of whom tested positive for pre-cancerous cells and seven are suspected cervical cancer patients, Varello reported.

Although the VIA Clinic was not established until January this year, work with cervical cancer has been going on since 2000.

U.S specialist Dr John Varello who is here currently overlooking screening process for cervical cancer at the GHPC made a very important and pertinent observation when he said that although it does not focus on diagnosis it is important to prevention of the disease.

The biggest value of the exercise is identifying the pre-cancerous cells before they turn into cervical cancer.

In other words, Dr Varello is advocating a preventative approach rather than a reactive one and in matters of health such an approach is essential and crucial because lives could be saved and the acquiring of certain disease could be averted.