Cancer cases on the rise since pandemic

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THERE has been a rise in cancer since the COVID-19 pandemic with more younger women being affected recently, according to a physician from the Bahamas Cancer Society.

 Dr Nicholas Fox, vice president of the Cancer Society and owner of the Medi Centre Clinic, made the revelation to reporters yesterday.

 “As a practising physician, since the pandemic it seems like they all are on the rise. I don’t know if it’s because people were not following up with their physicians. But I’m seeing more breast cancer, a lot of prostate cancer and colon cancer, even a lot of blood cancers like lymphomas, etc,” he said.

 “And I don’t know if it’s because of the pandemic, but it seems to be on the rise across the board.”

 Currently, Dr Fox said he has found more people are making the effort to follow up with doctor visits and treatments now.

 However, he said it is difficult at times to meet the medical needs of patients, especially those in the Family Islands, due to the high demand for healthcare.

 “It’s just that there’s so many people trying to follow up that you can’t get to see everybody in a timely fashion. Hence, the system is overwhelmed with all the patients that are coming forth.

 “Especially in the Family Islands — I have a practice in one of the Family Islands and it’s kind of overwhelming because everybody now seems to be health conscious and wants to be checked out to ensure that nothing serious is going on.”

 Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020, reported the World Health Organisation.

 The disease has affected many families in The Bahamas with some patients having to go through extensive chemotherapy and treatment once diagnosed.

 Dr Fox said that since the pandemic, more young people have been diagnosed with cancer, citing in one instance a 22-year-old woman diagnosed with breast cancer.

 He stressed: “I am seeing more younger women with breast cancer. I think the youngest one I’ve seen since the pandemic was 22 years old. I’ve never seen one that young before. So yeah, I’m seeing more younger people with cancer.”

 There has also been a rise in the number of obesity cases in the country, which is a major contributory factor to cancer. Dr Fox added that some people who are diagnosed with cancer are also suffering with multiple diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

 Additionally, as a cancer survivor himself, Dr Fox said he understands that treatment can be extremely expensive.

 He explained that many people cannot afford treatment, do not have access, or simply prefer natural remedies.

 Dr Fox continued: “Sometimes, because of the amount of patients that are receiving chemotherapy the drugs are not always available in a timely fashion. And you have people missing therapy, sometimes people can’t get therapy because their cells dropped too low and we have to wait. So, there are many factors that contribute to people not getting treatment, but the treatments are available.”

 During the press conference, he urged the public to support the Cancer Society’s 21st annual ball at the Imperial Ballroom, Atlantis, Paradise Island, on May 27.

 The proceeds of the ball will assist with the cancer caring centre that aids the treatment of many Family Island patients.

 Dr Fox said many Family Islanders who travel to New Providence for treatment often do not have a place to stay. Hence, the proceeds will help in creating more rooms at the centre for patients.

Comments

Flyingfish says...

It could also be as a developing country who struggles with poverty and a careless government who doesn't regulate carcinogens in products. It would be helpful if we had a Caribbean wide food standard regulations but alas we don't.

Furthermore the link could be related to delayed diagnosis due to Covid 19 overwhelming the healthcare system. Now we are finally seeing the many individuals who would of been diagnosed coming at once.

Posted 16 March 2023, 11:44 a.m. Suggest removal

JokeyJack says...

This article is just so stupid that I would likely end up in jail if I wrote my actual response. So therefore I censor myself.

Posted 16 March 2023, 12:58 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

It is a little weak.

Posted 17 March 2023, 4:23 a.m. Suggest removal

carltonr61 says...

Surprised that they are admitting as mist of the world already had that covid jab re-energized latent cancer. The EU is digging for answers to the contract signed with Big Pharma to supply covid vax intill 2028. Thousands of doses arrived here last week with the CDC today declaring vaccinations for 6 months old with out any study on long term death risks.

Posted 16 March 2023, 7:02 p.m. Suggest removal

GodSpeed says...

Not to mention young people dropping dead with heart conditions and clots. Gee, I wonder what happened during the pandemic that could have suddenly changed everything in this way? It's almost like everyone went and injected some experimental pharmaceutical product into their body? Good thing those pharmaceutical companies are indemnified right? 😉 💉💉

Posted 16 March 2023, 8:27 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

They could be undiagnosed COVID, clots are a COVID marker. But without data and the govt penchant to hide bad news we'll never know

Posted 17 March 2023, 4:24 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

I never supported vaccines for everybody, never made sense to me with only 5% of the population getting severe symptoms and the clear link to obesity, but COVID een no joke and it een gone.In the recent case with Kenise Darville everyone focused on the need for blood, but that young lady had a COVID infection on top of a weakened immune system

Posted 17 March 2023, 4:46 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

"*I am seeing more younger women with breast cancer. I think the youngest one I’ve seen since the pandemic was 22 years old. I’ve never seen one that young before. So yeah, I’m seeing more younger people with cancer.”*

As @JokeyJack said something's off with the article. The first thing that crossed my mind when the doctir made the above statement was, what are they eating and what do they look like? I still remember COVID and week after week seeing pics of those who succumbed to the disease both here and in the US, everybody had fat cheeks. One mother mourned her "*healthy*" 19 year old son, who btw, just happened to be ~300lbs. This was before anyone had publicly said "obesity" was a factor. They kept talking about vague noncommunicable diseases,

Before I could form that thought properly, his next sentence was "*theres a rise in obesity*". Nothing here gives numbers to say whether the rise resulted because patients get mad with another doctor and flock to his practice, but if you talking about cancer the first thing I'd examine is poor diet. Not saying that's always the cause but it's one of the usual suspects. It's something to eliminate as a common factor.

Posted 17 March 2023, 4:33 a.m. Suggest removal

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