Don’t lose the battle to cancer

August marks Women’s Month.

Cansa acknowledges the collective power of women to achieve positive change and calls on women to unite around the importance of cancer screening and help prevent unnecessary loss of life.

Cansa encourages women to arrange for cancer screening at their local Cansa Care Centre and purchase a screening voucher for a loved one, friend or employee.

Gerda Strauss, Cansa’s head of service, believes women can influence other women positively with regards to cancer screening.

“Too many women still die of cancer because they aren’t encouraged to know their own bodies. Be aware of the symptoms of cancer, take advantage of cancer screening or understand how to lower your personal cancer risk.

“Covid-19 has also caused women who are aware of the importance of cancer screening to put it off to avoid busy healthcare facilities.

“However, cancer remains a reality and early detection through screening can save lives.

“Is there a woman in your life who doesn’t know about the importance of screening or can’t afford it? Buy her a screening voucher and share your knowledge.”

Dr Zainab Mohamed, head of the clinical unit, radiation oncology Groote Schuur Hospital/University of Cape Town, commented on the impact the pandemic has had on cancer screening and diagnosis.

“Covid-19 affects cancer services in many ways. It affects cancer screening.

“People can’t go for routine screening because hospitals are full, or these screenings have been postponed so there are not too many people and to maintain social distancing.

“It affected diagnosis. A lot of patients have not been able to go to their GPs or primary healthcare facilities or access secondary level services because there is no space. We’ve been overrun by Covid.”

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Screening

Strauss explained how Cansa can help.

“It’s not necessary to delay cancer screening. Cansa offers screening through its care centres by appointment to avoid crowding and with strict safety protocols in place to avoid the spread of Covid-19.

“An affordable small fee is charged to assist with the cost of the equipment needed to conduct the screening. Medical aid patients can submit a claim to their medical aid once they have paid for the screening.”

Screenings available to women include clinical breast examinations (to detect breast lumps), pap smears (liquid-based cervical cancer screening test for early diagnosis), FotoFinder examinations (mole mapping dermoscope device to examine moles and spots on the skin) and a faecal occult home testing kit (to help indicate a growth/inflammation/bleeding in the digestive system, possibly indicating colorectal cancer).

Women are encouraged to buy a screening voucher for a loved one, friend or employee who perhaps can’t afford it, or to urge them to take advantage of screening available.

According to statistics from the National Cancer Registry (NCR) 2017, the top five cancers affecting women in SA include breast, cervical, colorectal, uterine and lung cancer.

Both breast and cervical cancer have been identified as a national priority with increasing incidences occurring.

Apart from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all races with a lifetime risk of one in 25 in South Africa, according to the 2017 NCR.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among South African women, but the cancer that women die of most.

Women have a one-in-40 lifetime risk of cervical cancer (NCR 2017).

What women can do:

• Know your body. Be aware of any changes to your body and do regular self-examinations (breast/skin – report changes to a medical health practitioner).

• Know signs of cancer. Read more about the symptoms of cancers affecting women in SA on the Cansa website.

• Regular cancer screening. Make an appointment at your local Cansa Care Centre for cancer screening on an annual basis or if you are concerned about a symptom you are experiencing.

• Share your knowledge. Empower other women by sharing the knowledge you have gained about cancer, screening and lowering cancer risk. Buy another woman a cancer screening voucher.

Public healthcare screening

Women are entitled to an annual clinical breast examination when visiting primary healthcare centres, according to the National Department of Health’s Breast Cancer Control Policy.

According to the National Department of Health’s Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Policy, women aged 30 years and older can have three pap smears in their lifetime at 30, 40 and 50 at public health clinics at no cost (non-symptomatic).

If women experience abnormal symptoms, they can request a pap smear at local government clinics.

HIV-positive women are eligible for a pap smear at diagnosis and every three years thereafter if negative for cervical cancer (yearly if screening is positive).

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