RECORDED cancer cases in Cebu City have significantly decreased over the past five years, study by the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center shows.
While the reported cancer cases were at 4,586 in 1998 to 2002, the latest study showed that in 2003 to 2007, the numbers dropped to 3,779.
Likewise, just as reported cancer cases have dropped, reported cancer-related deaths have dropped as well.
The years 1998 to 2002, which recorded the most number of cancer-related deaths at 2,809, the number lowered the following years to 2,174.
Dr. Bill Ramos, an oncologist, attributed the decrease of the cancer cases and cancer-related deaths to early detection.
“Increasingly, a lot of younger patients are coming in these days for check-ups. There’s a significant increase of screening these days and younger women are doing breast exams and older women are going for mammograms,” Ramos said.
In its recent study, the center also reported that of the recorded 3,779 cancer cases, 1,669 were males and 2,110 were females.
More women
The center, which has been conducting the study every five years, saw female cancer patients constantly outnumbering the males.
“It is usually the women who are at risk of developing cancer. And when the woman gets older, she’s more at risk of developing it,” Ramos added. Most women had breast cancer, the report said.
However, despite the high number of women developing cancer, the study noted that more men died of cancer.
Of the recorded 2,174 cancer-related deaths in the City, 1,151 were males while only 1,023 were females.
More women go for early detection and prevention, said Ronald delos Reyes of the center.
He added that because cancer is detected earlier in women, it is more likely to be treated and it lessens the number of cancer-related deaths.
“One good way to prevent cancer-related deaths is really to go for lifestyle modifications,” added Ramos. He said good nutrition balanced with exercise and stress management are keys in battling cancer.
Aside from conducting studies on cancer, the center assists cancer patients who are diagnosed with stage one or two cancer. (EPB)
