Africa-Press – South-Africa. Deaths due to cancer are increasing in South Africa. This is according to a report by the National Cancer Registry of the Department of Health, and the Stats SA’s mortality and causes of death data.
The report covers the number of people diagnosed with, as well as those who died from, cancer between 2008 and 2019.
The report found that the black African population had the highest number of cancer-related deaths during this time.
The data shows that during this time:
The report noted that these numbers “don’t necessarily reflect the risk of cancer-related mortality in each population group”.
Cancer-related mortality was based on 43 613 cancer deaths over the 10 years.Overall, deaths in SA have decreased in that time by 24.1% from 598 553 in 2008 to 454 014 in 2018.
But in the same time, cancer deaths increased by 29.3% from 33 720 in 2008 to 43 613 in 2018.
Female cancer deaths were slightly higher, at 51.2% of the deaths, and the average age for death due to cancer is 62 for females and 64 for males.
In the sampled time, female cancer deaths increased 34.2% and males increased by 24.3%.
The following cancers contributed to half of the cancer deaths in men in 2018:
These types of cancers contributed to half of the cancer deaths in women in 2018:
According to the World Health Organisation, early diagnosis of cancer improved the outcomes by providing care at the earliest possible stage.
The Stats SA report said although mortality due to cancer is lower compared to TB/HIV and other major communicable diseases, it is increasing.
“More focus needs to be put on prevention, screening and treatment of cancer, and increasing awareness of associated risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy dietary practices and sedentary lifestyles.”
Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said the information in the report would inform health planning programmes to address “the increasing burden of cancer, allocate resources appropriately and implement programmes aimed at the provision of screening, case detection, and preventative services”.
He added that the information would also enable awareness creation programmes around factors associated with cancer, like tobacco, sedentary lifestyle, sugary foods and ultraviolet radiation, to name a few.
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