Altuğra: If cancer is detected early, it can be treated.

Minister of Health, Monitoring Gürçağ Altuğra, who held a press conference for April 1-7 Cancer Week, reminded that if cancer is detected early, it is possible to treat it, and noted that social awareness and screening tests play an important role in the fight against cancer.

At the press conference where physicians and officials from civil society also made a statement, Altuğra stated that screening is carried out in 3 types of cancer recommended by the World Health Organization in the TRNC, and shared the data on screenings for 2022 for cervical, breast and large intestine cancers.

Accordingly, in 2022, 6,661 people were screened for cancer, while 89 people were positive.

Altgra, Nicosia Dr. After Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital Early Diagnosis Center, cancer screening was carried out by Dr. He said that it was started to be done free of charge in Akçiçek Hospital.

According to the data shared by the Minister of Health, Altuğra, in 2022, 1,917 women between the ages of 30-65 were subjected to smear tests, 5 positive cases were detected, 2,364 women between the ages of 40-69 were given mammography, 12 positive cases were identified, 50 Stool occult blood was examined in 2,380 people between the ages of -74, and positive results were found in 72 people.

At the Early Diagnosis Cancer Screening Center in Altuğra, women between the ages of 30-65 are screened for cervical cancer every 2 years, women between the ages of 40-69 are screened for breast cancer every 2 years, and women and men between the ages of 50-74 are screened for large intestines. He also shared his knowledge.

Dr. According to the statistics of Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital Oncology Center for the year 2022, there were 19 thousand 540 applications to the adult medical oncology department outpatient clinic.

In the Adult oncology service consisting of 19 rooms and 24 beds, 945 patients were given inpatient treatment.

13 thousand 501 patients applied to the chemotherapy department consisting of 20 seats and 5 beds. The total number of applications to the medical oncology center was 33.41. 3 thousand 167 applications were made to the radiation oncology department and 590 applications were made to the pediatric oncology-hematology department.

Dr. Emphasizing that the health personnel working at the Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital Oncology Center and the Early Diagnosis Center work regardless of time, Health Minister Eser Gürçağ Altuğra also emphasized:

“Cancer is an important public health problem of our time and remains on the agenda. Cancer, which ranks second after cardiovascular diseases in the list of known deaths, causes very heavy losses in the workforce and the country’s economy due to the disabilities it causes and the high costs of its treatment.

The ‚1-7 April Cancer Week‘ activities, which are organized with the aim of using the results obtained with the advancement of technology and medicine more effectively and intensifying the public information/awareness/raising awareness activities, have a very important place in the fight against cancer.

Cancer is the name of a very large group of diseases that can affect every organ or tissue of our body. Today, although great progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, it has become an important problem in terms of public health within the scope of chronic diseases. Cancers, most of which develop due to environmental and genetic factors, are among the environmental factors; Today, it is known that it can be prevented by 30-50% by preventing tobacco use, alcohol consumption, being overweight and/or obese, and exposure to infections.

The importance of prevention becomes even more important, especially when considering the types of cancer that can be prevented from occurring, death can be prevented by screening, and treatment can add a lot to the quality of life when diagnosed early.

The World Health Organization-International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) predicts an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases and approximately 10.0 million cancer deaths worldwide, according to 2020 world cancer statistics.

Raising public awareness about cancer, raising public awareness and cancer screening are among the most effective methods in the fight against cancer.”