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Cyprus ahead in dealing with cancer but inequalities remain – report

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Cyprus has made important progress towards dealing with cancer compared to other EU states, but there remain important socioeconomic inequalities in cancer screening, according to the Country Cancer Profile of the country published on Wednesday by the European Commission and the OECD.

According to the report, approximately 5,000 new cancer cases were expected in Cyprus in 2020, corresponding to an age-standardised incidence rate of 639 new cases per 100,000 population – above the EU average of 569. Cancer mortality in Cyprus is among the lowest in the EU.

The leading causes of cancer mortality among men were lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer, while among women they were breast, lung and colorectal cancer.

Tobacco remains a major public health concern in Cyprus, and with particularly high rates among men, the report shows.

As far as prevention policies are concerned, the report notes that Cyprus introduced the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2016. The most recent data on HPV vaccination coverage show that it is above the EU average.

Regarding early detection, the authors of the report note that breast cancer is the only cancer with a national population-based screening programme offered to a specific at-risk target population.

Participation rates in cancer screening are close to the EU averages for breast and cervical cancer but very low for colorectal cancer. Socioeconomic inequalities in uptake of cancer screening are substantial.

Finally, regarding cancer care, the report points out that the overall quality of care in Cyprus, reflected in five-year survival rates, is good. However, low numbers of cancer procedures may hinder the quality of services and procedures provided.

The country has among the highest availability of health technology in the EU, but an important proportion is located in private sector institutions, which might lead to inequalities in access, it notes.

An important finding on the EU level is that lung cancer remains by far the most common cause of death from cancer. There are also large gender-based and socio-economic inequalities in cancer mortality rates between and within EU countries.

Such disparities are partly explained by differences in exposure to risk factors such as smoking, obesity, harmful alcohol consumption or air pollution. Overall risk factors tend to be more prevalent among men and among low-income and low-education groups.

The challenges EU countries face in providing high quality cancer care differ. Some countries are well equipped, but face shortages in qualified health care staff, while others have a high number of qualified physicians, but lack, for example, radiation therapy equipment.

The Country Cancer Profiles are the result of cooperation under the European Cancer Inequalities Registry between the Commission and OECD and covers all EU member states, Norway and Iceland.

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