The Canary Islands diagnose an average of 11,384 cases of cancer per year, hence the Ministry of Health of the Regional Government has stressed the need to raise awareness among society about the importance of early detection and control of this disease in view of the commemoration this Thursday, February 4, of World Cancer Day.
According to the latest data published in the Canary Islands Population Cancer Registry, it is estimated, according to a statistical study carried out based on data accumulated since 1993, of the annual average of 11,384 cases diagnosed, 6,509 correspond to men and 4,875 to women.
Analyzing both sexes together, it is noted that the tumor location that contributes the highest number of cases in the archipelago is the colon and rectum (1,656 cases), followed by the prostate (1,482), the breast (1,397) and the lung (1,339). Thus, these four locations account for just over half of all tumors, 51.6 percent, as reported by the Regional Executive in a press release.
However, if we differentiate between sexes, in the case of men the most frequent tumor is prostate cancer, followed by colon and rectum and lung cancer (almost equal in percentage), while bladder and non-Hodgkin lymphomas are further away.
In the case of women, breast cancer stands out, followed by colon and rectum cancer (both locations account for 42% of all tumors in women), followed in third place by lung cancer, which, although with a lower frequency and rate than in men, has been rising in the ranking of the most frequent tumors among women over the years (in the period 2003-2007 it occupied fifth place), as well as cancer of the uterus and the thyroid gland.
Currently, in Spain cancer remains one of the most relevant groups of diseases in public health, since in the general population it is the second leading cause of death after diseases of the circulatory system, although in men it has been the leading cause of death since 2000. In this regard, it is added that in 2018 one in three deaths in men and one in five in women were due to malignant tumors, which represents more than a quarter of deaths in Spain in that year.
Cancer is a disease that causes a group of cells in the body to grow abnormally and uncontrollably, resulting in a lump or mass, which occurs in all cancers except leukemia (cancer in the blood), so that if the tumor is not treated, it usually invades other areas of the body, spreading to other organs and tissues.
Early detection
Therefore, the Ministry of Health indicates that early detection is of fundamental importance in cancer, since there are certain diagnostic tests that guarantee the detection of the disease at a very early stage.
Thus, although there are many types of cancer and the symptoms vary from person to person, it is emphasized that one should be alert to the presence of one or more of the following symptoms: lumps or strange masses in any part of the body; fatigue, tiredness, shortness of breath or cough; unexpected bleeding or hemorrhages; sudden weight loss or lack of appetite; pain; complications when swallowing, urinating or performing any other physiological need; intense night sweats; changes in a mole or spots on the skin or changes in the breasts.
In this regard, it is pointed out that the appearance of these symptoms is "not always" indicative of cancer, but people are encouraged to consult their primary care physician if in doubt.
In addition, at European level, there is consensus on the recommendation of screening (Council Recommendation of the EU, 2003/878/EC) for breast cancer by means of biennial mammography (50-69 years); for cervical cancer or cervix by means of cervical cytology every 3-5 years (25-65 years); and screening for colorectal cancer by means of biennial occult blood detection in feces in both sexes (50-69 years).
In this sense, it is pointed out that in the Canary Islands the early detection programs for breast and colorectal cancer have been running since 1998 and 2009, respectively, to which it is added that between the last quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 the cervical cancer program is expected to be launched.
Regarding prostate and lung cancer screening, there are two screenings on which there are randomized trials that have studied their efficacy but that still do not have sufficient evidence to recommend their implementation.
Multiple causes
Finally, the Ministry of Health indicates that there are many types of cancer that a person can develop due to multiple causes, stating that in many cases the risk factors cannot be modified, although they point out that around a third of cancer cases can be avoided by reducing the main risk factors.
In this sense, they clarify that in the development of this disease there are non-modifiable risk factors, such as age and genetics, although there are others that can be controlled, such as the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and drugs; following a healthy diet, performing physical activity and exercise, avoiding radiation or exposure to carcinogenic substances, controlling certain infections, avoiding hormone therapy that is associated with breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer, and encouraging breastfeeding, which has a protective action in the development of breast cancer.
They also emphasize that vaccines also help reduce the risk of cancer, noting that the vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) helps prevent most cervical cancers and some cancers of the vagina and vulva, while the vaccine against hepatitis B can reduce the risk of contracting liver cancer.
