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Important facts: One in four Cypriots will suffer from cancer during their lifetime

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Important facts: One in four Cypriots will suffer from cancer during their lifetime

One in four Cypriots will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, while about 42 new cases of children aged 0 to 19 are diagnosed with cancer and leukemia annually in Cyprus, it was reported during a press conference on the occasion of World Cancer Day and World Childhood Cancer Day.

In the context of the conference, which took place in the presence of representatives of Cancer Patients Associations and organized by the State Health Services Organization (OKYPY), the important work done daily at the Oncology Departments of Nicosia General Hospital and Limassol General Hospital was presented. of Makareio Hospital.

During the conference, important data were presented in relation to cancer in Cyprus.

According to the estimates of the Global Cancer Observatory “GLOBOCAN” (WHO), which are based on data from the Cyprus Cancer Archive until 2018, approximately one in nine citizens of Cyprus dies of cancer by the age of 75, while it is estimated that in Cyprus one in four will suffer from cancer in their lifetime.

In relation to the cases of children and adolescents with cancers of all forms throughout Cyprus, it was reported that more than 1,500 cases of children with cancer and related, serious hematological or oncological diseases at various stages of monitoring and treatment, are treated annually at the Pediatric Pediatric Pediatric Hematology Clinic It was noted that in 2021 about 30 new cases of cancer have been diagnosed and treated at this Clinic.

In his greeting, the Deputy Executive Director of the Organization, Kypros Stavridis, assured that the Organization “stands by cancer patients and their families”, emphasizing that the “fight against cancer is ongoing and OKYPY declares its presence, offers in the Oncology Departments of his hospitals “.

Presentation of the work of the Oncology Departments

Presenting the profile of the Oncology Department of the General Hospital of Nicosia, the Director of the Department, Dr. Rena Ioannou, stated that, “the Oncology Department of the General Hospital of Nicosia operated in 1964 under the direction of Dr. Dimitris Souliotis and was the first Oncology Department to operate in Cyprus “.

As noted in the Oncology of the General Hospital of Nicosia, cancer patients receive comprehensive and comprehensive care, with the exception of Radiotherapy services, for which we cooperate with the existing Radiotherapy Centers.

“Our goal was and remains the quality care of patients and for this reason we hope that in the future the Department will be further developed and will continue to play an important role in the fight against cancer,” said Ms. Ioannou.

For his part, the Director of the Oncology Department of the Limassol General Hospital, Dr. Simon Malas noted that “the Oncology Department of the Limassol General Hospital was established in November 2004”, to note that the Department operates three outpatient clinics on a daily basis, the Oncology ward with 16 beds on the fifth floor, the short-term ward on the fifth with 10 comfortable chairs (Day Care), the laboratory for dissolution of cytostatic drugs and an outpatient clinic once a week (Tuesday) on the ground floor of Paphos General Hospital.

According to Dr. In the Oncology ward, multi-day chemotherapy, blood transfusions, hydration, palliative medicine, treatment of infections, cancer pain and other symptoms are performed, while in the short-term ward, “patients after undergoing chemotherapy for up to 15 minutes, which can last from 15 minutes to “, they go to their homes, after being informed about the date of their next visit”.

Besides, the Director of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic of Makareio Hospital, Dr. Eleni Papachristodoulou, said that the Clinic is the only tertiary care center for children and adolescents suffering from cancer and leukemia, acute and chronic benign hematological diseases – except thalassemia and coagulation disorders.

He also mentioned that in addition to the 1,500 cases of children with cancer and related, serious hematological or oncological diseases at various stages of monitoring and treatment, they are treated at the Clinic annually.

In addition, he stated that the Clinic is responsible for the monitoring of children after bone marrow transplantation, long-term follow-up of pediatric cancer survivors, as well as for the monitoring of children and their families with cancer predisposition syndromes.

The Director of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic of Makareio Hospital also mentioned that the Clinic has 14 beds that can be expanded to 19 in terms of inpatient care and 8 beds in terms of day care, while she added that she maintains her daily outpatient clinics and laboratory. bones, the only one in Cyprus for the study of difficult pediatric hematological cases.

Statistical data

Presenting data related to cancer in Cyprus, the Assistant Director of the Oncology Department of the Nicosia General Hospital, Dr. George Ioannidis, stated that, according to the estimates of the European Cancer Information System (ECIS), in the year 2020 4,989 new cases were recorded (2,739 in men and 2,250 in women), while in the same year 2,430 patients died from the disease ( 1,436 men and 994 women).

Citing the same data, Dr. Ioannidis said that the three most common types of cancer that affect men in Cyprus are prostate cancer with a frequency of 30%, lung cancer with a frequency of 16% and colon with a frequency of 14%.

He also noted that the corresponding most common types of cancer in women are breast cancer with a frequency of 34%, thyroid cancer with a frequency of 10% and colon with a frequency of 8%.

Regarding mortality, Dr. Ioannidis said that the three cancers that are responsible for the most deaths in Cyprus are men with lung cancer at a rate of 24%, prostate cancer at a rate of 13% and colon cancer with a rate of 11%, and women with breast cancer with a rate of 11%. 20%, followed by colon and lung cancers with a death rate of 11%.

The former Director of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic of Makareio Hospital was honored

During the event, OKYPY awarded an honorary plaque to the former Director of the Pediatric Oncology Clinic of Makareio Hospital, Dr. Loizou Loizou, as an indication of the minimal recognition and appreciation of his multifaceted work.

It is noted that Dr. Loizou, who offered his services for more than 30 years, was the man who envisioned and founded the Pediatric Clinic of Makareio Hospital.

It is the only center for diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with cancer and leukemia in Cyprus.

Awarding the honorary plaque, the Deputy General Executive Director of OKYPY, assured him that the Organization will continue its work, with the goal that no child loses the battle with cancer and leukemia and no family of a child with cancer or leukemia fights.

For his part, Dr. After thanking OKYPY for the honor, Loizou said that he feels very happy, because with his departure from the public service he left behind, as a legacy, a Department with an excellent team of doctors and nurses, dedicated to their work, with great love and devotion. for the child with cancer.

He also said that he will be constantly available to support the team of doctors and nurses in any way, based on his many years of experience and within the framework of his university and research activity and taking into account that he is not going to privatize.

Source: politis.com.cy

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