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Cancer and deaths in Africa are expected to double over the next two decades, reaching 2.1 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths by 2040, according to a new study.
In addition, the region lacks the region and lacks the resources for health and infrastructure to cope with the growing burden, the researchers said.
Changes in diet and lifestyle, along with behavioral and environmental risk factors, may contribute to the increase, the researchers note.
The findings are insightful because they shed light on critical needs and could help allocate resources. Researchers warn that unless steps are taken to raise awareness, improve prevention and mitigate risk factors, these increases are likely to exceed health care capacity levels, slow cancer screening and limit patients’ treatment options.
“The growing crisis in cancer morbidity and mortality in Africa requires urgent action – information on cancer, prevention, screening and treatment,” said Paddy Sentongo, an assistant professor in Penn State’s Department of Public Health and co-researcher. in Public Health Boundaries.
The researchers gathered information from the database of the Global Cancer Observatory of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The online system – GLOBOCAN 2020 – includes data from 185 countries around the world and provides morbidity and mortality rates for 36 cancers in 2020.
The researchers analyzed the country-specific incidence and mortality of 34 cancers in 54 African countries. The study examines patients’ demographics and the relationship between leading cancers and socioeconomic status. Researchers studied health infrastructure and used data from 2020 to predict the severity of cancer in Africa in 2040.
Africa has found 1.1 million new cancers and 711,429 cancer deaths in 2020. Researchers have found that breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal and liver cancers are the leading cancer groups in Africa. During this time, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa were among the highest ranked countries in terms of cancer mortality.
Women are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and die than men in Africa, the study shows. Among women, breast cancer is the leading form of new cancer deaths and deaths, while prostate cancer is the largest cancer among men in 2020. Meanwhile, researchers found that colorectal cancer ranks high for people in all 54 countries.
Researchers say the data show that most African countries are not well prepared to cope with increased demand for care. Twenty-eight of the 43 countries surveyed had a cancer registry, and less than half had cancer policies, strategies or action plans.
To better prepare for the future, researchers are proposing a multifaceted, holistic approach to cancer care. Based on the evidence, healthcare providers can improve outcomes for patients through awareness campaigns, vaccines, prevention strategies and capacity building for cancer treatment.
“The disease landscape in Africa is undergoing significant changes, with increasing morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases such as cancer, Western lifestyles, dietary changes and escalating risk factors for behavior and the environment,” said lead researcher Rajesh Sharma, assistant professor economics at the University School of Management and Entrepreneurship at Delhi University of Technology in India.
“Cancer mortality in Africa is comparable or higher than in other parts of the world, which requires a comprehensive approach to cancer control and management, including, but not limited to, raising awareness of cancer, adopting primary and secondary prevention,” mitigating risk factors, improving cancer infrastructure and timely screening and treatment. “
Additional co-authors include Lancaster University, Delhi University of Technology in India, Relife Family Medical Center in Uganda, Washington State University, Vanderbilt University, Eastern Regional Hospital in Ghana and Penn State.
Researchers do not declare a conflict of interest or specific funding for this study.
Source: Penn State
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