Shocking numbers of new cancer cases in Cyprus

In Cyprus, based on the Cancer Archive, we have about 3.200 new cases of cancer a year, said today the Minister of Health George Pamporidis, who noted that 8,2 million people worldwide die every year from cancer.

Welcoming him during a press conference on the occasion of World Cancer Day, the Minister of Health stated that 4 million of these deaths are young people, in the most constructive years of their lives, adding that "the disease has not a specific age, gender or social class and knocks indiscriminately on the door of each of us, since statistically, one in four Europeans will get some type of cancer ".

The Minister of Health provided extensive information on the coordinated efforts of all to prevent and treat cancer holistically, expressing the belief that this knowledge is the best form of awareness.

"During these years, a lot has been done: Particular emphasis has been placed on prevention, which is the most effective and efficient method of treating cancer.

"Just to cite a few examples: Primary Prevention is offered through the School Services, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education", he said.

In addition, he said that a legal framework has been introduced to ban smoking in public places and since September last year, we have been offering universal vaccination against HPV to girls in public and private schools of a certain age group.

Regarding secondary prevention, Mr. Pamporidis said that the already existing National Program for screening population screening for breast cancer has been upgraded and new technology mammograms have enriched our Centers.

He also said that a screening program for colon cancer, based on a combination of blood in the stool and colonoscopy, had been introduced for women and men aged 50-69 in the province of Larnaca, while in terms of treatment, he said that the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Center is a center of excellence and offers optimal services to cancer patients.

He went on to say that "a very recent development is the creation of an interdisciplinary Breast Center at the Nicosia General Hospital, which operates in accordance with the recommendations of the European Parliament and Eusoma and provides our patients with a holistic treatment", noting that "the goal of creating radiotherapy A unit at the Limassol General Hospital, which will cover our fellow human beings with cancer in the provinces of Limassol and Paphos and will alleviate their multiple social problems, has already been wheeled ".

Asked when the Radiotherapy Unit at the Limassol General Hospital is expected to open, the Minister of Health said: "As soon as possible, given that it is the result of cooperation with the Bank of Cyprus - a longtime partner of Cyprus - which supports the fight against cancer for decades."

"It is based on a model that will lead to its rapid processing, in order to be delivered to the state as soon as possible," he said.

Answering a question about the Oncology of Nicosia Hospital, which has many problems, including understaffing, and if steps have been taken to solve them, Mr. Pamporidis said that “there is a program that is in progress and the which will allow the normalization of the infrastructure throughout the quiver of the wider public sector, so that the cancer patient can be better served, who seeks services either from private hospitals or from the Oncology of the Bank of Cyprus through his more correct service ”.

In her greeting, the President of the National Committee for Cancer, Stella Kyriakidou, said that this world day is an opportunity to reconsider our policies, efforts, but also our responsibilities ", to add that the appointment of the new National Cancer Commission marks a new targeted national effort. "

"Our primary goal," he said, "is to update the National Strategy, taking into account the new environment created in the field of oncology services in Cyprus. Services that create new data and new challenges. Challenges related to the accessibility but also to the quality of the oncology services provided, services that should be solely based on the patient's interest, services that are based only on scientific documentation and validity ".

As Ms. Kyriakidou said, "in the context of a new approach, the National Commission is also informed about the particular problems faced by groups of cancer patients", to note that "we have already met with the group of laryngeal patients, doctors and patient associations to address their individual problems as soon as possible and we have already set up a meeting to discuss the treatment of gynecological cancers ”.

He also said that "the goal is to establish these meetings in order to follow prevention, diagnosis and treatment protocols that are based on specialization and more".

Speaking at the press conference, the President of the Oncology Center of the Bank of Cyprus, Androulla Vassiliou, said that the Center currently has around 33.500 patients, while noting that about 600 patients visit the Center daily.

"The numbers are impressive, but what we need to be very careful about is that according to our doctors, more than 50% of cancers are curable, a rate that will increase significantly in most cancers if people follow the prevention guidelines and "Early diagnosis of the disease," he said.

On behalf of all patients - members of the Cyprus Cancer Association, PASYKAF, Europa Donna Cyprus, Europa Uomo Cyprus and the Oncology Center of the Bank of Cyprus, Evi Papadopoulou spoke, who as she said do not stop claiming improved access to quality and effective cancer treatment and the use of all those tools to evaluate health practices, so that there is a continuously upgraded and equal treatment of cancer for all cancer patients.

Source: KYPE