Early cancer detection will save SA children
UP TO 85 percent of childhood cancers are curable, yet 90 000 children worldwide die needlessly every year due to late diagnosis.
In the Western Cape about 90 children died last year of cancer, while over 130 were diagnosed in the province’s two paediatric oncology units at Red Cross Children’s Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital.
Tomorrow marks the 10th International Childhood Cancer Day and oncology specialists around the world – under the banner of International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations (ICCCPO) – are preparing to raise awareness about the illness.
In the Western Cape paediatric oncology units will be releasing balloons in Sea Point with postcards inside stating that childhood cancer can be cured.
Professor Mariana Kruger, head of paediatrics at Tygerberg Children’s Hospital and continental president for International Society of Paediatric Oncology, said while SA remained the most resourced country in Africa, it diagnosed the least number of childhood cancers, way below the international benchmark.
Even countries such as Zimbabwe were doing better, diagnosing about 100 cancers per million children, more than double compared to SA .
Kruger said while more than 80 percent of childhood cancers could be cured, late diagnoses remained a challenge.
But the Western Cape was doing better compared to other parts of the country, diagnosing about 80 children per million of the population.
The province had at least six fully-qualified paediatric oncologists who provide highly specialised cancer treatment in both centres.
Vanessa Vermaak, divisional manager for Children’s Hematology Oncolgy Clinics (Choc) said early detection was the key to successful treatment of childhood cancers.
“Delayed diagnosis diminishes survival rates. In SA, one in 600 children are affected by cancer before the age of 16, but if diagnosed early, 70 to 85 percent can be cured,” she said.