Dr. Alex Mutombo, head of the Congolese Cancer Foundation, emphasized the need for extensive measures to curb the alarming rise of breast and gynecological cancers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“The epidemiological information and statistical data on female malignancies are worrisome and scary. Large-scale initiatives must be put in place to stop and reverse this disastrous trend,” stated Dr. Mutombo.
Hospital statistics and local epidemiological studies show a rapid increase in the rates of these cancers among the Congolese population. A study conducted in several hospitals in Kinshasa in 2019 reported a 24% frequency of breast cancer. Dr. Mutombo highlighted that most cancer patients in the area are often diagnosed at late stages of the disease, restricting their treatment options due to lack of access to quality medical care, financial difficulties, and absence of a health insurance program.
Dr. Mutombo expressed concern over the increasing number of younger women—those under 50, and even in their twenties—being diagnosed with these cancers. This is a significant shift from previous decades when cancer was primarily associated with older individuals. He suggested that new risk factors are contributing to the development of these diseases in younger populations.
The statistics are alarming: 18.85 million women in the DRC who are 15 years of age or older are at risk of developing cervical cancer.
Efforts to address this issue must be robust and immediate to prevent further escalation of these preventable and treatable diseases.
Source: Santé Tropicale
