Cyprus Mail 14 February 2020 - article by Annette Chrysostomou
There are around 43 new cases of child cancer in Cyprus every year, the Cyprus Medical Association said on Friday ahead of International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) marked annually on February 15.
This number has remained roughly the same for the past 20 years, which is seen as a good sign as in many other countries it has been growing.
“The management of these incidents is characterised by extremely high efficacy rates and the exploitation of all modern knowledge and therapeutic innovation,” the association said.
“In terms of cure rates, in Cyprus we have the following: acute lymphoblastic leukemia more than 80 per cent, lymphomas more than 95 percent, and malignant brain tumors 50 to 60 per cent,” the medial association added.
The office of the commissioner for volunteerism, in a related statement, said the oncology centre of Makarios hospital has treated children with cancer for 30 years, offering a high level of treatment and care.
“Volunteering can play a key role in addressing it, mainly through the psychological and other support that volunteers provide children and their families. Equally important in the treatment of childhood cancer and its early diagnosis is the assistance of the state, the volunteers’ announcement said.
“The common struggle against cancer, especially cancer in children, must be stepped up, for a future with hope and high survival rates,” it added.
According to the ICCD website, childhood cancer accounts for 0.5-4.6 per cent of all cancers in humans.
“Every year, around 300,000 children aged 0-19 years are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. Of these children, about eight in ten live in low- or middle-income countries, where their survival rate is usually around 10 to 30 per cent. On the other hand, when access to quality healthcare is available, more than 80 per cent of children with cancer can survive and live a full and healthy life,” it said.
