Cancer need not be a death sentence

The month of October and November are usually marked as cancer awareness month with October being the breast cancer awareness month and November (dubbed No-shave November) being the prostate cancer awareness month. According to the World Health Organization’s latest data, every year about 5236 Kenyan women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 60% (3211) of them die as a result of complications arising from the cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in men between the ages of 35 and 60 years, whose mortality rate has been on the rise despite all the options available for treatment.

During cancer awareness months, everyone is encouraged to go for cancer screening tests, to increase chances of early detection and survival, so that treatment can begin as early as possible and reduce mortality rates. According to Kenya’s Ministry of Health, cancer is the third leading cause of death after infectious and cardiovascular diseases. Specifically, mortality due to cervical cancer leads the pack of top five cancers in Kenya, followed by breast, oesophageal, colorectal, and prostate cancers[1].  Early detection is one of the key pillars to the achievement of Kenya’s 2017-2022 cancer control strategy, because about one third of cancers can be prevented (and potentially cured) if the risk factors (such as lifestyle, biological, environmental and genetics) are addressed in addition to other preventive strategies. Cancer control in Kenya is hampered by inadequate cancer diagnosis and management infrastructure in addition to limited specialized human resources as well as late presentation and diagnosis.  

There is hope for those who are diagnosed with cancer at whatever stage as there are several hospitals and health facilities- both public and private- around the country that offer services that are comprehensive for those affected by cancer. These include the Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital as well as Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital which recently opened the Integrated Molecular Imaging and Hospitality Centre which will ensure that family members can stay close to their loved ones who are receiving cancer treatment. Others are The Nairobi West Hospital, The Nairobi Hospital, HCG-Cancer Care Kenya at MP-Shah Hospital, Texas Cancer Centre, Aga Khan University Hospital and Equra (Eldoret Hospital). In addition, there are several county health facilities offering chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions as well as palliative care.  All in all cancer support groups can provide psychosocial support and peer to peer experience sharing for cancer survivors as well as their families. That said, we at ACLAD Encourage each and every one of you to take advantage of the screenings that are available especially now during the cancer awareness months to go get tested.

Catherine Muteithia

ACLAD Research and Communications Assistant

[1] Pankaj, G., J., Craig, H., Are, C., and Rooprai, G. (2021) Cancer on the Global Stage: Incidence and Cancer-Related Mortality in Kenya