Cancer report shows almost 40% increase compared to previous 5-year reporting period

The Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Hon Juluet Kavetuna (second from left) on Wednesday received the new national cancer registry report from the CEO of the Cancer Association, Rolf Hanses (left). Witnessing the important occasion are the Cancer Association’s Sister Christy Kavetuna (second from right) and cancer survivor, Barbara Nyati.

The Namibia National Cancer Registry is a combined project between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Cancer Association of Namibia with data analysis done by the International Atomic Research Centre. The project started in 1995 and this report is the fifth published report covering the 5-year period from 2010 to 2015.

Upon presenting the report, Hansen expressed his gratitude to Mr Morten Ervik of the International Atomic Research Centre, all medical practitioners, medical and treatment establishments and volunteers who have supported data collection.

Report Results in Brief:

A total of 11 248 malignant neoplasms were recorded during this five-year period, of which 5125 were in males (45.6%) and 6123 in females (54.4%). With ‘other skin’ neoplasms excluded, there were 10,559 people with malignant neoplasms; 4787 males (45.3%) and 5772 females (54.7%). Of this number, 353 (3.3%) were in children below the age of 15.

The average over the 5-year period is 2250 cancers per year, an increase of almost 40% on the previous reporting period.

Overall, the incidence of all cancers including non-melanoma skin in males was 153.8 per 100,000 population and 146.3 per 100,000 population in females. Excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, the incidence of cancer overall in males was 144.2 per 100,000 and 138.7 per 100,000 in females.

This represents an increase in incidence in both sexes compared to the previous reporting period (2005-2009) while the ranking of the most common types of cancer remained similar, with the notable exception of an increase in the HIV-associated cancers (Kaposi sarcoma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Eye cancer).

Cancer of the prostate was the most common cancer among males with 1128 reported cases or 23.6% of all male cancers.

Among women, breast cancer was the most common with 1579 reported cases or 27.4% of all female cancers. Breast cancer showed a marked increase from the previous reporting period.

“I trust that this publication will serve as a guide to all parties involved in decision-making, advocacy and responsible citizenry (both private and corporate) to support the advocacy on cancer and in so doing, reduce the incidence of this disease that remains the leading cause of death worldwide,” said Hansen.

The report is available here as a PDF document.