On the occasion of World Cancer Day
which coincides on the 4th of February every year, the King Hussein Cancer
Foundation and Center launched today an educational awareness campaign entitled
“Your Life, Your Choices…Choose Your Health.”
The campaign, which will run for the
entire month of February, aims to increase awareness among Jordanians about the
importance of taking preventive health measures against cancer. Studies have
shown that 40% of cancer cases can actually be prevented by living a healthy
lifestyle, which includes eating healthy foods, exercising, quitting smoking,
and taking cancer screening tests for early detection.
On this occasion, HRH Princess Dina
Mired, Director General of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) remarked
“This campaign targets every household and every individual in order to
increase awareness about cancer. Most people are under the impression that
cancer is a disease that cannot be prevented, and that we can do nothing to
minimize the risk of getting it, but the reality is that 40% of cancer cases
can actually be prevented by making a few simple choices to live a healthier
lifestyle. This is a significant percentage that we must not ignore, and every
individual must take it upon themselves to do all they can to minimize the risk
of getting cancer.”
Dr. Ahmad Al Yousefi, the World Health
Organization (WHO) representative in Jordan and the Acting Director of the
Jordan Country Office, asserted that cancer is considered the leading cause of
death globally, causing 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008.
Lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancers are the cause of most of the
deaths that occur every year from cancer.
Dr. Al Yousefi said that the slogan for 2012 World
Cancer Day “Together it is Possible” was a great example of highlighting the
need for the entire world to come together in order to reduce unnecessary
deaths from this cancer and other non-communicable diseases. “Every individual,
organization and government has an important role to play in this regard. WHO
and the International Agency for Cancer Research are making the focus this year
on screening and vaccinations.” Dr. Yousefi added “It is possible to reduce the
number of deaths from cancer if discovered in its early stages and treated
immediately. Diagnostic and early detection programs are essential in places
that lack the necessary resources and where people are diagnosed with cancer in
its late stages when it is too late for effective treatment. These early
detection programs use population tests on people with good health to detect
signs of cancer or previous signs of infection, in order to be able to detect
cancer faster and accelerate the diagnosis and treatment stage.”
Dr. Feras Hawari, Director of the
Cancer Control Office at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), commented “The Cancer
Control Office is currently working on developing a strategy based on an
in-depth analysis of the cancer burden in Jordan, and how to fight it. The
focus in the first few years will be on increasing awareness about cancer and
how to avoid and minimize the risk of cancer. Other ways we will be tackling
the cancer burden is to conduct scientific research so that we can produce a
wealth of data about cancer, and cooperate with the Ministry of Health and the
World Health Organization to determine the gaps in the health system we need to
address related to cancer and how to improve such services.”
The Director of the Directorate of
Non-Communicable Diseases at MOH Dr. Mohammed Tarawnah
confirmed that the five most common cancers in Jordan according to the 2009
National Cancer Registry are: breast cancer, with a total of 942 cases (19.6%
of all cancer cases), colon and rectal cancers with a total of 554 cases
(11.5%), followed by lymphomas with 385 cases (8.1%), leukemias at 303 cases
(3.6%) and finally 229 cases of lung cancers were diagnosed (6.2%).
Dr. Tarawnah also commented that 231 childhood
cancer cases (under 15 years of age) were diagnosed in Jordan (in 2009) with
136 boys and 95 girls diagnosed. Childhood cancers made up a proportion of 4.8%
of total cancer cases diagnosed in Jordan for that year. A breakdown of cancer
cases diagnosed in children is as follows: Leukemias (36%), brain and nerve
cancers (24%), lymphomas (27%), kidney cancers (7%), and adrenal gland and
other glandular cancers (6%). Dr.
Tarawnah also added that that the prevalence of cancer cases according to
governorates was determined as such: Amman with 59.8% of cancer cases
diagnosed, Irbid (13.2%), Zarqa (10.5%), Balqaa’ (5.0%), Karak (2.3%), Mafraq (1.9%),
Jerash (1.2%), Madaba (1.7%), Aqaba (0.9%), Maan (11%), Ajloun (1.3%) and
Tafila (0.8%).
World Cancer Day is a global
initiative launched by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), which
aims to reduce the rate of cancer by increasing awareness and lobbying
governments and individuals to take the necessary measures to effectively fight
cancer. UICC also established The World Cancer Declaration in 2008 and managed
to persuade the United Nations (UN) to make the topic of non-communicable
diseases a top priority. This culminated in a high-level meeting at the UN in
September 2011, of which the focus was non-communicable diseases and in which
high-level officials from all over the world participated. HRH Princess Ghida
Talal, Chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center
participated in the high-level UN meeting as a special envoy, and HRH Princess
Dina Mired took part as a civil society representative.
The high-level meeting at the UN
concluded with the following recommendations: reduce the prevalence of cancer
cases by focusing on the dangers of smoking, promoting a healthy lifestyle
through a healthy diet and exercise, increase awareness about the importance of
cancer screening tests for early detection, make cancer treatment more
available, and develop palliative care.
The King Hussein Cancer Foundation and
Center are currently working to implement the recommendations of the UN
high-level meeting through various activities, including awareness and
educational campaigns about cancer.