Over 600 cases of cancer diagnosed in Fermanagh South Tyrone every year

Smoking causes one-third of all cancers and these cancers have the poorest survival rates, a local cancer expert has said.

Lisbellaw native, Dr. Anna Gavin is the founding Director of the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, based at Queens University’s Medical Library in Belfast.

The Northern Ireland Cancer Registry’s most recent statistics, released on March 22, examine the cancer incidence and mortality rates in each parliamentary constituency over a five year period (2010-2014). The figures show that there were an average of 661 cases of cancer diagnosed in Fermanagh South Tyrone in each of the five years, with an average of 205 deaths from cancer each year.

The most common cancers in Fermanagh South Tyrone over the five year period (excluding the rarely-fatal non melanoma skin cancer) included: bowel cancers (126 cases per year); prostate cancer (72 cases per year); breast cancer (71 cases per year); the early stages of cervical cancer (67 cases per year) and lung cancer (57 cases per year).

West of the Bann, Fermanagh South Tyrone registered the second highest number of cases of cancer each year – after East Londonderry which had an average of 673 cancer diagnosis each year.

Attending cervical and bowel screening appointments is very important, Dr. Gavin told The Impartial Reporter. She continued: “Cancer has little to do with where people live.” Instead, “it is down to lifestyle, such as whether people smoke.”

Dr. Gavin recently wrote a report offering cancer projections to 2020 and 2035. She found that cancer rates would remain fairly steady among men in the years ahead.

However, cancer rates among women would see a seven per cent increase by 2020 and a 13 per cent increase by 2035.

“What we eat and diet also contribute to another third of cancers,” Dr. Gavin warned. “We should eat more fruit and vegetables, a minimum of five per day; reduce the amount of fats, especially animal fats that we eat and exercise regularly.

It is crucial that you “know your body,” Dr. Gavin advises. “Half of cancers occur in people over the age of 70, so a change that you notice, especially unexplained weight loss; a persistent cough; a nagging pain; a lump; night sweats a change in a mole or a skin sore which does not heal should encourage a visit to the GP, where the person can be checked out. Survival for cancers in Northern Ireland is improving all the time and the earlier a cancer is detected the easier it is to treat and the better the outcome.”

Independent unionist Councillor Raymond Farrell said that the incidences of cancer diagnosis in the West of the province “is obviously concerning”. He is pleased to see that the Health Minister Simon Hamilton has announced more Specialist Cancer Nurses, stating: “I am told this will include the West as well.” He called for the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) to be used “as much as possible.”

Similarly, SDLP Councillor Richie McPhillips voiced his “shock” at the statistics and called for more local cancer patients to be treated at SWAH to prevent patients having to travel long distances. He also called for “a review of the direct and indirect cancer treatment services that SWAH can deliver.”

In response, a spokeswoman from the Department of Health stated: “Every resident in County Fermanagh has access to the same full range of cancer services, including surgery, chemotherapy and specialist palliative care, available to any other citizen of Northern Ireland.” She stated that the current situation will not change, saying: “Fermanagh patients have access to local diagnostics and staging at SWAH and attend the Cancer Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital for specialised care and treatment.”