Causes of Cancer Misconstrued?
Aug 27, 2008 Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Approximately 8 million people died as a result of cancer globally in 2007--one of them was my father. That's approximately one in every eight deaths. By the year 2030, that number is expected to rise to 12 million deaths, with new cases diagnosed rising from 11 million to 16 million. Even though Dad passed away in his own home in Florida, 80% of cancer deaths happen in low and middle income countries. There is a noticeable lack of early detection, treatment, and care for patients in poorer countries.
During this week in Geneva, Switzerland, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) is meeting to discuss what has been done in cancer prevention and treatment, and what issues continue to need addressing. One such need is cancer prevention campaigns to correct misbeliefs. A survey conducted by Roy Morgan Research and Gallup International for UICC in 29 countries in high, middle, and low income countries found several misperceptions.
- People in high-income countries were the least likely to believe that drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer. In fact, cancer risk rises as alcohol intake increases. (ie. Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, UK, USA)
- In high-income countries, the hazards of not eating enough fruits and vegetables scored more highly as a perceived risk (59%) than alcohol intake did (51%), even though the scientific evidence for the protective effect of fruit and vegetables is weaker than the evidence that alcohol intake is harmful.
- In rich countries, stress (57%) and air pollution (78%) scored higher as perceived risk factors for cancer than did alcohol intake. However, stress is not recognized as a cause of cancer and air pollution is a minor contributor compared with alcohol consumption.
- People in low and middle income countries have more pessimistic beliefs about cancer treatment than those in high income countries....48% said that "not much can be done" to cure cancer or that they didn't know whether anything could be done. That compares with 39% in middle income countries and 17% in high income countries. Such a misbelief is worrying because it might deter people from participating in cancer screening programs. (Low Income: Kenya, Nigeria; Middle Income: Bolivia, China, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, Uruguay)
- People in all countries are more ready to accept that things outside of their control might cause cancer (such as air pollution), than things that are within their own control (such as being overweight, which is a well-established cancer risk factor).
- 75% of those in low income countries said their preference was for their doctor to make all the treatment decisions. Only 8% said the doctor and patient should decide together and 9% said the patient should decide. That compares with a preference in rich countries for a more equitable decision-making style that emphasizes self-determination, with 72% saying either that the decision should be made together or rest with the patient alone.
According the the National Cancer Institute in the United States, almost 64% of adults and 75% of children will survive a cancer diagnosis beyond five years. This is more than 10.5 million people. But not without struggle--cancer may become a chronic disease needing regular monitoring and treatment, and need access for physical, financial, psychological, and spiritual impacts.
Lower income countries such as Kenya and Nigeria are not so fortunate. Viewed as an essential human right, access to analgesics (pain relief) is unattainable. (80% of world's cancer sufferers) Lack of key equipment is another difficulty. In Kenya, only three radiation machines exist for 30 million people compared with Canada which has 140 machines for the same number of people. In some places, the choices are between family bankruptcy or treatment, and surgery or death. Is it no wonder that the poor feel that there is little choice in the matter of life and death?
Dr. David Hill, President-Elect of the UICC and director of the Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne, Australia states, "The survey reveals there are some big unheard messages....We know that people need to be given a reason why they should change. They need to be shown how to change; they need to be given resources or support to change; they need to remember to change and they need positive reinforcement for changing."
The End of Cancer Begins With Everyone Standing Up
World's Largest One-Day Running Event
Read Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective
At Basil & Spice
View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments