Traditional Medicine, a Challenge in Fighting Cancer
Traditional medicine is the biggest challenge faced by medical professionals in the fight against breast cancer in Fiji. There is a tendency to opt for the alternative treatment which at most times does not do anything against the disease, said acting vice chancellor of the Fiji National University, Dr William May.
He made the statement while launching Fiji National University’s Pinktober campaign at the Nasinu campus yesterday.
He said breast cancer remained the most common cancer for women in Fiji followed by cervical cancer.
“In 2012, 217 females were diagnosed with breast cancer and 179 were diagnosed with cervical cancer,” Dr William May said.
“There was an improvement in 2019 where there were 96 cases of breast cancer and 90 cases of cervical cancer.” He also revealed that the youngest who had succumbed to cancer was a 17-year-old while about six patients were under the age of 21.
“There were 355 breast cancer cases from 2006 to 2012, seven were males and 348 were females,” he said.
“We must remember that breast cancer is not only predominant in women, as long as you have breast you are also prone to this type of cancer.”
Dr May added that in 2019, 139 other cancer cases were from unknown origin.
The Cancer Burden
Fiji Cancer Society chief executive officer, Belinda Chan, said the disease was not only a burden to the patient, but also to the family.
“If one person in a household has cancer, the whole family and community must accommodate the change it needs to care for the patient,” Ms Chan said.
“Breast cancer is curable if treated early.”