Top Twelve Cancers in Jamaica 2008

Abstract

Objective: To determine the top twelve cancers in Jamaica in the year 2008 and to examine the distribution of cancer of the endometrium as well as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008. Methods: The study included all fourteen parishes. Data was obtained from the Jamaica Cancer Registry located in the Pathology Department of the University of the West Indies. Population denominators were obtained from the 2011 census taken by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica. The statistical package which was used to analyze the data was SPSS. Results: The top twelve cancers were determined using the crude incidence rate (CIR). In descending order, the top twelve cancers were prostate cancer (36.6), cancer of the breast (25.7), cancer of the cervix (23.2), cancer of the lung (7.0), cancer of the endometrium (6.9), cancer of the colon (5.2), carcinoma primary unknown (4.4), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (3.5), cancer of the stomach (3.0), cancer of the skin (2.6), cancer of the urinary bladder (1.8), cancer of the rectum (1.8) and cancer of the thyroid (1.1). It was also determined that cancer of the endometrium is mostly prevalent in the age group 55 years to 79 years and the highest probability of developing this cancer would be in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Catherine. In the case of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, it is mostly prevalent in the age group 45 years to 64 years. In Jamaica in 2008 it was more dominant in females than males (male/female ratio, 0.83). Based on the crude incidence rate, the highest probability of developing this cancer occurred in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Catherine. Conclusion: In mitigating against cancer, it is important to study the onset, the age groups affected as well as gender. It is also important to look at geographical locations to see the probability of developing a particular type of cancer. Once this is done then appropriate screening and safety protocols should be followed by the various health administrators.