MONTEGO BAY, ST James — Former head of the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association, Dr Alfred Dawes is concerned that a lack of screening options, in particular for mammograms, is failing Jamaican women in the fight against breast cancer.

“When we compare our approach without a national screening programme or without the availability of a [mammography] machine… we cannot expect that we’re going to do better. We’re failing a lot of women,” he said during the launch of the Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay 5K Run/ Walk/Wheelchair event last Thursday.

Some of the proceeds raised from the club’s initiative will be used to provide support for cancer treatment projects.

“Many of these 300 women who are dying every year are dying needlessly, because we do know that breast cancer has a natural history that is very predictable. If we intervene at an early stage, even a pre-cancerous lesion, you can turn somebody who would have been a victim of breast cancer into someone who can go on to live a full life,” he said.

According to Dr Dawes, the absence of a mammography machine in Jamaica’s public health-care institutions has contributed to the low screening numbers.

“Only about 10 per cent of the eligible population in Jamaica are actually getting screened… I think there’s going to be one at Cornwall [Regional Hospital] but we don’t have a [mammography machine] in the public sector. So, unless you can afford the private facilities’ costs or the Jamaica Cancer Society-subsidised rates, it is just not available. And being not available, it is not an effective screening tool although it is the best way. We can actually pick up breast cancer at an early enough stage where treatment would be easier, cheaper and more effective,” he continued.

Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer deaths in Jamaicans. The statistics are even more dire when Jamaica is compared to other countries.

“While other countries are discovering cancers earlier and treating them more effectively, Jamaican women are dying at a higher rate from breast cancer as we are seeing more of these cancers presenting later and with more aggressive disease. Screening is really what made the difference in these developing countries, but where are we with screening?” he bemoaned.

According to a 2020 report from the World Cancer Research Fund, Jamaica ranked third on the list of countries with the highest mortality rates. Dr Dawes is hoping that through efforts like those being made by the Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay, more will be done to make screening widely available.

“Through collaboration with the private sector and community groups, as well as even community activists, the Church, everyone has to get on board because the relationships within the community, they all augur better for a long-term and sustained follow-up,” he told Kiwanis Club members.

In addition to screening for breast cancer, Dr Dawes said, there is also a need to ramp up checks for others forms of cancer that affect areas such as the prostate, colon, and cervix.

“These are all diseases that can easily be screened for. These are all diseases where we can get into the communities, take the screening to the people, make it more available so that we find the diseases where we can take out a lump and send normal, fully functional, well-adjusted people back to their daily lives, to their families,” said Dr Dawes.