Comparison for Causes of Cancer and Treatment on an International Level

Daniel LeUNMC College of Pharmacy

Data of Low and Middle Income Countries

• Very limited amount of population are covered by cancer registries

• Harder to access the area for studies so it reduces the data

Infectious Disease

• Infectious disease is common due to poor living conditions

• Infection will causes more co-morbid diseases

• Mask cancer • Makes cancer harder to

treat

Infectious Disease takes priority

• In some countries Infectious disease is the worse problem

• Limited Resources, and therefore goes to curing infection

• Worry more about clean water and living situations

Type of Cancer by region

• Oral cancer = South Central Asia

• Liver cancer = Sub-Saharan Africa

• Bladder cancer = Northern Africa and Western Asia

• Stomach cancer = South America

Reasons of Variations

• Environmental factors• Racial/ethnic factors• Genetics• Diet• Geographical factors, – Green Spaces– Fresh Air– Toxic exposures

Nutrition

• More Western Diet• More fats in food• Increase in obesity,

diabetes, heart disease, and cancer

• Over half of the cancer around the world are link to high fat foods and smoking

Nutrition Education

• Increase fruits and vegetables

• Reduces animal foods• Limit alcohol• Limit smoking• Reduces the amount of

sodium in diet

Risk factor in Low Income Countries

• Lifestyle: such as smoking

• Occupation are usually more dangerous, radiation exposure, pollution in water

• Pollution in the air

Challenges• Harder to find hospital that

will do diagnostic testing • Supplies for treatment and

prevention harder to find in rural areas

• Education rates are lower• Information about the

harm of smoking is limited • Vaccines are not

administered at young age

Vaccines

• Childhood vaccines of Hepatitis B can prevent liver cancer

• HPV vaccinations can prevent cervical cancer

• Influenza vaccines can help prevent flu, which might mask cancer signs

Lack of Training

• Many third world countries have smaller amounts of doctor and nurses to population ratio

• Many doctors do not specialize in oncology

Lack of Resources

• Few Surgeons that are train in cancer surgery

• Many countries cannot afford radiation supply and equipment

• Fewer choices of chemo drugs

Government

• With limited budget government cannot help much

• Healthcare is only a portion of what the government can use money for

How Can We Help?

• Inform low income countries the danger of cancer

• How they are at a disadvantage for adequate treatment

• Look into changing priority and how it can

More Help

• Look into charity, perhaps public health assistance

• Look at solutions that can be meet the demand but does not take up much opportunity cost

• Create immunization center

Resources

• Global Health Education Organization• World Health Organization • International Network For Cancer Treatment