The Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) reported that the cancers with the greatest impact in the country are breast, in women, and prostate, in men, while every two hours there are three new diagnoses of some type of this disease. The most recent data from the National Tumor Registry reveal that in Costa Rica every two hours there are three new diagnoses of some type of cancer.
According to epidemiological data, the cancers with the greatest impact by sex are the following: 29 of every 100 women with cancer have breast cancer, 13 of thyroid and 10 of colon and rectum, while 28 of every 100 men with cancer have cancer of the prostate, 12 colon and rectum and 12 stomach.
A public health issue
“Cancer is a public health issue in our country, every two hours we have about three new diagnoses, however, according to the World Health Organization, cancer could be prevented by up to a third if we adopt habits such as eating healthy, doing exercise; and another third could be diagnosed early with the adoption of screening tests,” said Alejandro Calderón, the official of the Project to strengthen cancer care.
The CCSS indicated in a press release that during 2020 it carried out 30,176 cancer treatments. 78% of the consultations are men over 45 years of age and 72% are women over 45 years of age.
Figures that show that the older you are, the greater the risk of getting cancer. The executive president of the institution, Román Macaya, stressed that they have redoubled efforts in recent years to promote healthy habits, early detection and timely care in order to contain the impact of this disease in all its extensions.
Among the actions is the approval of a plan to strengthen the country’s radiotherapy services, which includes the placement of 11 new linear accelerators by 2030, with treatment competencies in modern techniques such as radiosurgery.
New treatment therapies
In addition, the incorporation of new treatment therapies at the institutional level for some types of cancer (melanoma, lung, breast, among others) is expected, with annual investments that exceed 10 million dollars and the decentralization of oncology services to hospitals outside the metropolitan area, in order to bring oncology care to users.
“We have made progress in the construction of a comprehensive cancer care model and we intend to continue with this strengthening route that allows, under a framework of equity, to provide better opportunities to cancer patients in Costa Rica, maintaining the institution as a model organization in cancer care at the regional level,” said Marjorie Obando, oncology advisor to the CCSS Medical Management.
