The latest global data indicate that cases and deaths from cancer will grow in the region at a faster pace than the average.
From different sectors, they warn about the need to act to improve access to cancer care. Better infrastructure, more financing, human resources and availability of treatments are some of the most mentioned solutions.
Every two minutes, five people receive a diagnosis of cancer in Latin America. In the subcontinent, where there are 1.4 million new cases and 673 thousand deaths each year, the disease continues to advance.
In September 2018, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), linked to WHO, updated the Global Cancer Observatory and set an alarming picture: worldwide, by 2040, the incidence of the disease will grow by 63%, and the number of deaths will climb by 71.5 percent.
However, in less developed regions, such as Latin America, where early diagnosis and access to treatment are more difficult, the scenario is even more serious: the number of cases will grow 78% in the next 21 years, reaching 2.5 million annually, and cancer deaths will almost double, reaching 1.3 million deaths each year.
At the same time, access to health care in the region faces serious problems: according to a study by The Lancet, more than 156,000 people die each year due to lack of access to health services. The growing need for care is faced with fragmented health systems, with lack of infrastructure, human resources, diagnosis, treatment and financing.
The situation is uneven. There are countries with successful policies, such as Uruguay and Costa Rica, and there are others that are still far from those results,”
says oncologist Eduardo Cazap, one of the region’s leading cancer authorities. The doctor is the founder and was the first president of the Latin American and Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology, in addition to having chaired the International Union Against Cancer.
The specialist points out that Chile, Peru and Colombia have also had good results with their policies, and that Brazil is making “significant progress”. In Latin America, cancer is the second cause of death by disease, after cardiovascular diseases.