As the years go by, tumors and their deadly consequences have increased in incidence in our country. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), between January and August 2020 they were responsible for 60,421 deaths. While the majority of patients also tend to have other serious problems such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. But although the current panorama of cancer in Mexico is adverse, in the future it could be even worse.
First of all, it should be remembered that this problem is not exclusive to one country but affects the entire planet. For this reason, every February 4 marks the World Cancer Day. The objective is to give visibility to this condition and promote preventive actions.
Current and future situation
In this sense, one of the biggest drawbacks of cancer in Mexico is that most cases are detected in advanced stages. When that happens the chances of overcoming the disease are lower. On the other hand, if the tumor can be identified from its first manifestations, the patient’s salvation is more possible.
However, based on the International Agency for Research on Cancer that belongs to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that by 2040 the number of new cases registered in our country will increase by 65%. If it materializes then the figure would reach 323 thousand people.
It also mentions that of all types, breast cancer remains the deadliest in our country. According to the records, it was responsible for 7,931 deaths during 2020, followed by colorectal cancer with 7,755. While the prostate caused 7,457 deaths.
Together and based on the records of the National Institute of Statistic and Geography (INEGI) cancer is placed as the fourth cause of death in Mexico, with 8.3% of all deaths.
“The increase in cancer cases in Mexico is alarming and we must continue to raise awareness about this disease to increase its detection and timely treatment, not only of the disease itself, but of diseases related to or derived from treatments against it, as they are: anemia, neutropenia and bone events”, indicated Dr. Max Saráchaga, medical director of Amgen Mexico.
Problems derived from the disease
Anemia is a condition that can cause tiredness, shortness of breath, and dizziness. There are some factors that can make a cancer patient more prone to it, such as chemotherapy, certain types of tumor, for example, lung or ovarian tumors.
If the patient develops it, it may mean that the dose of their treatment should be delayed or reduced. For this reason, it is extremely important to treat it in a timely manner, through iron supplementation therapy, red blood cell transfusion or with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.
While neutropenia is a common condition in cancer patients and is caused by a decrease in a type of white blood cell. This decrease increases the risk and severity of bacterial and fungal infectionsand therefore can cause the discontinuation of cancer treatment.
Your treatment may include granulocyte colony-stimulating factors that stimulate the bone marrow to make more white blood cells to fight infection, and in certain cases, antibiotics may be given to help prevent infection.
On the other hand, bone events are bone disorders that are generated from the presence of bone metastases. These negatively impact the patient’s quality of life and their survival rate, since they generate complications that require more resources to reduce pain, such as radiotherapy, administration of analgesia and in some cases surgical procedures to help reduce the progression of the tumor in the bone. .
Certain types of solid tumors such as breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, and kidney cancer are more likely to spread to the bone. 80% of patients with advanced stages of breast cancer will develop bone metastases, while 50% of patients with prostate cancer will experience metastases before the second year of disease. However, tumors that are large and have spread to lymph nodes are also more likely to spread to bone.