Cancer: second leading cause of death in Caribbean – CARPHA

By Michelle Nurse On Dec 19, 2016

(16 December, 2016) In a recent study, researchers from CARPHA and the US CDC found that the rates of death from cervical cancer, breast, prostate and colon cancer are 2-9 times higher in the Caribbean compared to the United States. Only lung cancer was higher in the USA.

The study also reported that prostate cancer, a common cause of death among Caribbean men, accounted for 18%-47% of cancer deaths, while lung cancer accounted for 5%-24% and was the second highest cause of cancer deaths among males. Breast cancer, the main cause of cancer death among females accounted for 14%-30% of cancer deaths; and are up to two times higher compared to the USA.

“The large number of deaths from these types of cancers is very alarming since they are mostly preventable. Breast cancer can be detected early and treated successfully. Cervical cancer is perhaps the most preventable through education, vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV), screening, early detection and treatment,” said Dr James Hospedales, Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the Caribbean, according to the study, published today in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). This is the first time that information on cancer mortality for the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean is published in a prestigious peer review journal.

Read more at: Caribbean Public Health Agency