Doc: There are ways to beat cancer
Due to the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Iris and ongoing relief efforts down south, many people may have forgotten that October is celebrated as Cancer Awareness Month. Tonight, News 5 takes an in-depth look at the disease and what you can do to protect yourself. Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
It is not known just how many people in Belize have cancer, but since the National Health Insurance Pilot Project started almost two months ago, doctors have noticed an increase in cases. However, Dr. Victor Lizarraga, a surgeon with Universal Health Services, says the cases are not an indication that cancer is on the rise, but that people have more access to primary health care. Dr. Lizarraga says it will take several years to find out what the situation is in the country.
Dr. Victor Lizarraga, Surgeon, Universal Health Services
“We wouldn’t know that until I would say until the next three to four years of a similar system, where the number of cases we pick up remain stable and then after that we start seeing a climb. Then we can say realistically there’s an increase in incidence. But yes, we are picking up more cancer, but it doesn’t mean there’s an increase in incidence, all it means is that we’re picking it up more than before.”
Jacqueline woods
“Because more people are going in to get tested.”
Dr. Victor Lizarraga
“Exactly.”
Cancer is a mixture of diseases that come from a particular cell type. It usually does not have any symptoms until the condition has progressed, and by then chances of curing the disease are slim.
Dr. Victor Lizarraga
“It’s an abnormality in these cells. If we can pick up this abnormality at the point when it’s just a few cells in the lining, then we can cure it. If we pick it up once it has passed the barrier of that lining and have entered into the system, into the blood stream, and the lymphatics and so on, it is then advanced cancer. This is the way cancer spreads; it spreads by seeding different areas. These abnormal cells get in to break through the barrier lining, get into your blood stream, where they spill all over and seed and they may or may not grow depending on your immune system. So once we diagnose it as invasive cancer, it means it has broken that lining and it is less likely that you can be cured of this cancer.”
There are different types of cancers. However, doctors have noticed specific cancers that are more common than others.
Dr. Victor Lizarraga
“Again, it’s our impression that cancer of the cervix is number one in females and cancer of the prostate is number one in males.”
In the past, people were forced to travel to Mexico or the United States to be tested. But since the introduction of imaging technology in 1980, those tests are now available in Belize.
Dr. Victor Lizarraga
“There has been increase technology for diagnosis in both Universal Health Services and Belize Diagnostic and recently Belize Medical Associates, not for mammography, but for other things. But all in all, because of the introduction of this increased technology, doctors are more utilising it, becoming more aware of a number of things that they were not aware of before.”
Early detection is key in prolonging the life of a cancer patient. That’s one message the Belize Cancer Society will highlight this October as it observes Cancer Month.
Higinia Leslie, President, Belize Cancer Society
“This month we try to emphasise more on awareness. We tend to preach that early detection is the best way to go. And being that some people tend to forget to check themselves, we try to remind everybody, do your breast exam, do your Pap test, do your PSA test at least once a year. So every October we do that.”
Today, Higinia Leslie, president of the Belize Cancer Society says she has been encouraged by the interest shown by the public to get as much information about the disease.
Higinia Leslie
“People aren’t kept locked up anymore, they want to know what it is, how they would be affected if they have a family member affected with cancer. They want to know how to deal with it, why their family member behaving this way, what they can do best to assist their family member.”
Doctors admit very little is known about the different types of cancer, but there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself. One of them is living a healthy lifestyle. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
The Cancer Society is currently looking for volunteers for its community outreach program. You can contact them at 74015 or visit their office at the Commercial Centre Booth forty-four.
