The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Cancer Institute is recording an increase in cancers of the stomach and colon. The surge is attributed to unhealthy and sedentary lifestyles and change in diets, among the population, according to Dr Jackson Orem, the Executive Director of the Uganda Cancer Institute.
Doctor Orem says that over the last ten years, the institute has also witnessed a dramatic increase in Cancer of the penis, stomach, the vagina, lip cancer, the vulva, brain cancer, uterine cancer and Laryngeal cancer. In children, he says the most common cancer in children today is leukemia, overtaking Buckitts Lymphoma, which was the commonest 10 years ago.
Data from the World Health Organisation shows that more than 3000 Ugandans as of 2018 were suffering from some of these emerging cancers in the country. Out of these, an estimated 1,228 cancer patients either have cancer of the Colon or Stomach.
Dr Orem was speaking during the World Cancer Day celebrations held at the Kampala Capital City Authority Grounds on Monday.
Dr Orem says that some of the emerging cancers like cancer of the stomach are more common in men compared to women. He says this might be as a result of men being exposed more to risk factors compared to women.
An estimated 350 people per 100,000 people of the population have cancer. Data from the Kampala and Kyadondo cancer registry shows that a total of 32,617 new cancer cases were recorded last year.
Dr Henry Ddungu, an oncologist at UCI says that due to the ever increasing types of cancer, misdiagnosis is common by health workers in health facilities.
“Most of our patients come for treatment when it is too late. Some people with Stomach cancer are first treated for complications like ulcers. By the time they come to UCI, the cancer has spread to other organs in the body,” Dr Dungu said.
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