• Submitted by: manso
• Society
• 04 / 30 / 2011

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2011.04.29 - 11:24:01 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. HAVANA, Cuba.- More than 20,000 people die from cancer and around 32,000 new cases are detected in Cuba every year, being the disease the first cause of death in 12 provinces of the island.

Yaima Galan, head of the National Cancer Registration Office, told CAN the disease has a higher impact in Havana, Villa Clara and Santiago de Cuba.

Figures by the World Health Organization assure that the increase of the prevalence of cancer, which kills nearly 8 million people every year in the world, is related to smoking habits, alcoholism, poor diets, inadequate sexual practices and obesity, among other factors.

In Cuba, cancer is associated to the aging of the population, taking into account that the life expectancy in the country is nearly 80 years, said Yaima Galan.

The age group showing the highest risks are senior citizens (older than 60 years), since the probability of developing cancer grows with the age, the specialist assured.

Galan said of the 223 types of cancer the most common in Cuba are lung, breast, neck of the womb, prostate, colon and larynx cancer.

The Cuban National Cancer Registration Office facilitates the development of strategies for the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

According to WHO reports, 40 percent of cancers are preventable and 30 percent of them are curable if diagnosed early and treated with the right technology available for the disease.

Cuba recently presented at the 6th Symposium on Advanced Oncology held in Havana its latest findings in genetic and cancer treatments with monoclonal antibodies and vaccines developed in the country for different types of malignant tumors.(ACN)