Screening tests reduce mortality from some cancers in Mexico

The increase in awareness about screening tests, which are used to determine a person’s risk of developing a disease, has led to a decrease in mortality from some types of cancer in Mexicosaid a specialist this Friday.

“In Mexico we have had a positive impact from screening. People have greater social awareness, all government campaigns, hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, the pink campaigns, raise awareness that cancer is a tangible disease”said oncologist Jesús Elvis Cabrera at a press conference.

However, the expert recalled that cancer is the third leading cause of death by disease in Mexico and its care causes high costs for the health system and for families.

In 2021 alone, there were just over 90,000 deaths from this cause, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi).

Furthermore, between the 70% and the 80% of the cases are detected in late stages, which affects the high mortality.

However, he explained that in recent years screening has managed to lower mortality in cancers such as thyroid, testicular and breast.

“Although it is true that the latter has a high incidence, it is becoming less and less fatal because thanks to mammography it is possible to detect“, he pointed.

However, Cabrera specified that it is important to address controllable risk factors such as obesity and smoking, especially because there are still cancers that do not have a screening test to detect them in a timely manner and because prevention is less expensive than treatment.

“It is important to be aware that cancer can affect all of us, no one is exempt and that may invite us to be aware of changing our lifestyles and the importance of screening, so if there is a symptom, we must not let it go. ”he pointed.

He recalled that there are currently medications and therapies that have also helped make this a chronic and non-fatal disease in most cases.

However, he stressed that the most important thing is timely detection to guarantee long-term survival of patients.

He also said that cancer care does not always end at the end of active treatment, as there must be a follow-up care plan that includes regular physical exams or other medical tests for months and years to come.

Some people return to the life they had before diagnosis, while for others, life is changed significantly by their experience with cancer.

“The challenge for every survivor is to figure out how to resume daily life while adapting to the effects of the disease and its treatment”he pointed.

Source: EFE