About 3,500 people in Cyprus are believed to suffer from cancer, Health Minister Philippos Pastalis has said, adding at the same time that there is unfortunately a continuous upward trend in the number of cancer cases.
The Minister was speaking at a joint press conference with the Chairman of the National Commission for the treatment of Cancer Adamos Adamou on the occasion of tomorrow`s International Day against Cancer.
He noted that although medicine has evolved greatly in dealing with the disease and many people nowadays manage to defeat this “enemy within “, cancer remains a major cause of death worldwide.
“The numbers on a global level are indicative of the disease, which sadly is seen to have become a scourge: Every year about 11 million people suffer from cancer. Each year seven million people lose their lives,” he noted.
In Europe, he added, “cancer is the second cause of death on the European level and tends to gradually outmatch the first one which is cardiovascular disease. The statistics show that one in three EU citizens die from cancer if the disease is not diagnosed early.”
He noted that “raising awareness of the population on burning issues of Public Health is a top priority of the Ministry of Health.
The Minister said that today`s press conference has a dual purpose: to brief on this year`s awareness campaign on World Day Against Cancer on February 4 and review the work of the five year term of the National Commission for the treatment of Cancer.
“The disease can be prevented and treated as it is scientifically proven that about 40% of cancer cases can be avoided,” he said.
CNA/GMI/MM/2015
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY