Cape Town - A report by Statistics SA (Stats SA) has found that some groups in the country are at a higher risk of dying from cancer than others because of unequal access to treatment and comorbidities.
The report, Cancer in South Africa (2008-2019), was released last week and covers a number of people diagnosed with cancer and those who died from it in the years under review.
The report’s data shows differences in access to early cancer detection and treatment between population groups.
Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said the data from the report showed that between 2008 and 2019, white women had the highest incidence of breast cancer.
“Their mortality rates, however, were almost the same as those of coloured females.
“This suggests that while coloured females had lower incidence rates they were diagnosed at more advanced stages of the disease, possibly due to poor access to cancer screening, treatment and inadequate knowledge of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.”
Maluleke said awareness of the symptoms of cancer and early detection have been shown to be the main intervention in reducing the risk of breast cancer mortality.
In another finding the report shows white men had the highest prostate cancer incidence rates, followed by coloured men, while black African and Indian/Asian men had lower and almost the same incidence rates.
“Coloured men had the highest mortality rates, followed by black African men for prostate cancer even though they have the same incidence as white men.
“This again reflects differences in access to early cancer detection and treatment between population groups,” the report said.
The report showed the highest number of cancers diagnosed among men were prostate, colorectal, lung and non-melanoma skin cancers.
Among women, breast, cervical, colorectal and non-melanoma skin cancers were the most commonly diagnosed cancers.
The report said the median age at diagnosis of cancer was 59 years for women and 64 for men.
However, it said the median age at death due to cancer was 62 for women and 64 for men and that this suggested that cancer in men may be diagnosed at more advanced stages than in women.
Last month, Palesa Mokomele, a spokesperson for DKMS Africa, an international non-profit bone marrow donor centre, lamented that the country’s inequalities generally extended to the health-care system and treatment received by black, coloured, Indian, and Asian blood cancer patients in particular.
Mokomele was talking about the best chance of a match in blood stem cell transplants when only 10% of donors were ethnically diverse.
She said: “This is because, unlike their white counterparts, these patients only have a 19% chance of finding a matching donor for a potentially lifesaving blood stem cell transplant.
“What this means is that the rights of black, coloured, Indian, and Asian patients to health care and even life are in jeopardy.”