Young Persons Need to Know Cancer Risk and When to Begin Screening

With more younger persons being diagnosed with cancers, there is a need for them to know the risk, when they should start screening and what tests they need to do.

Director of Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries Prevention, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Tamu Davidson, said a simple test can be lifesaving, so they should seek from their doctors, “what tests they should be doing for their age”.

“We encourage annual health checks, and doing these health checks early, because there is a concern… we are seeing younger and younger persons who are having these common cancers, which usually develop at a later stage,” she told JIS News in an interview.

“We encourage persons to discuss your risk with your healthcare provider, and then we also encourage persons to actively work towards preventing the common risk factors,” she added.

Dr. Davidson said that maintaining a healthy diet, low in fat, salt, sugar, trans-fat, processed foods, and eating more fruits and vegetables, as well as becoming more physically active, can help to prevent non-communicable diseases.

She also encouraged persons not to smoke, as smoking is linked to many cancers and other health conditions.

“If you need to quit, we are here to support you. We have our National Council on Drug Abuse that can support persons who want to quit. Limit your alcohol intake as well,” Dr. Davidson emphasised.

She pointed out that preventing and controlling the illnesses are dependent on ensuring that the accurate messages are getting out to the population through observances, such as World Cancer Day, which is celebrated annually on February 4.

The theme for this year is, ‘United by Unique’, which highlights the value of individualised, patient-centred care in the fight against cancer.

Dr. Davidson said the Ministry, through its whole primary care reform, has been focusing on people-centred care, not only for cancer but other conditions, and ensuring a relationship of trust between individuals and the healthcare workforce to ensure that treatment is done.

She pointed out that currently, the most prevalent cancers are prostate, breast, colorectal and lung.

“Through early detection, we can prevent premature deaths and improve survival and quality of life,” Dr. Davidson noted.

“Cancer is not a death sentence. It doesn’t have to be a death sentence, and so, for the common cancers, we know there is help and there is intervention. We know that through early detection we can address these common cancers, so it is important that we all have a role and responsibility to be part of the solution; again, people-centred care is our focus at the Ministry,” the Director said.