Forty-six patients of the Oncology Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) died last year, according to statistics released by the unit.
There are 98 patients presently receiving treatment. The statistics were released on World Cancer Day on Thursday and the data indicated that for 2015, the unit diagnosed 314 patients with one of 39 different types of cancers. Of that number, the largest percentage, 39.8% amounting to 125 persons, were diagnosed with breast cancer. Other frequently diagnosed cancers include cervical cancer at 14.9% (47 cases) and ovarian cancer at 8.2% (26 cases).
This year, World Cancer Day was observed under the theme ‘We Can. I Can.’ According to the World Cancer Day website, the theme represents the “intention to explore how everyone – as a collective or as individuals – can do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer.”
The website explains that cancer will kill more than eight million people worldwide this year, which is equivalent to the entire population of New York. Half of these are expected to be people of working age (30-69 years old).
In Guyana, cancer has been identified as the third leading cause of death. In 2014, then Minster of Health Dr Bheri Ramsarran had revealed that the leading cause of mortality in Guyana was cerebrovascular diseases while ischemic heart diseases were second and cancer was third. He had noted that prostate, breast, lung and cervical cancers were the main categories affecting the Guyanese population.
During the period 2004-2011, over 3,400 persons in Guyana died from various forms of cancer, with the largest number of deaths – 621, occurring in 2011.
Further, in 2014, Guyana had recorded the third highest rate of cervical cancer in the western hemisphere. Ministry of Health statistics had revealed that Afro-Guyanese accounted for over 65% of prostate cancer diagnosed while Indo-Guyanese women had the highest number of cases of breast cancer diagnosed.
