2024-03-31 02:55:00
The 2020 pandemic brought a long list of consequences on the health of Argentines. Some evident from the moment of Covid. But others were revealed after retrospective analysis of the data. Of course, these not only serve to lament but should be the basis for the design of health actions and campaigns, which seek reverse –as soon as possible– the deterioration of public health in complex and difficult fields such as oncology.
“We estimate that there are at least 1,500 social work patients in Argentina who have cancer and still do not know it,” he summarized to PROFILE Dr. Ernesto Gil Deza, director of Research and Teaching at the Henry Moore Cancer Institute in Buenos Aires. “And it could be extrapolated that there are almost 10 thousand people who may have cancer and do not know it because prevention studies have not been carried out in a timely manner.
In short, the data indicates that, due to the pandemic, “we regressed to the figures we had almost 20 years ago in the diagnosis of new cancer patients. And the true impact on cancer survival and cure in 2020, It will be seen – for statistical reasons – within five years. But most likely they are results worst to the pre-pandemic years.
The expert also detailed other facts that show how the pandemic and isolation deteriorated oncological health. “Just taking into account the statistics of our institute during 2020, we registered a very significant decrease in the detection of new cases: before the pandemic we made about 2,500 annual diagnoses. In 2020 we barely detected 1,398 cases, (40% less.). And still today –2024– we are not able to recover the figures from before the pandemic”.
According to Gil Deza, “we calculate that those who postponed their periodic checks the most are menrelatively young and asymptomatic. With greater chances of having colon, prostate or melanoma (skin) cancer that could be being treated today.” womenwe are registering private individuals delays in the diagnosis of early stages of breast and cervical cancers.
Another fact that reveals this trend is that the number of patients who attend regular consultations without symptoms is lower. Before Covid, 62.5% of patients were asymptomatic. That number fell and now 59% have no symptoms. This translates to tumor detections are later. Finally, they are also registering an increase in the number of disseminated tumors: before it was 30% of cases. In the pandemic that number rose to 32%.
More information, better treatments
This and other data arise from the first study carried out by a group of professionals on a very extensive database that offers a very representative sample of middle-class patients in Argentina. Gil Deza, said that “these days we are presenting ‘Synthesis‘, is a complete information baseanonymized, that the Moore Institute put together by collecting and systematizing more than 25 years of data on cancer from people who consulted and were treated at the Henry Moore Institute in Buenos Aires.
The professional explained that “since 2000 we have been entering consultations and follow-ups into a complete electronic medical record. We have systematized data on 53,800 patients, the majority of them from the Argentine middle class and who have social coverage. These histories offer important personal details. For example, health conditions at the time of diagnosis”. This ranges from weight and laboratory test results, to all family cancer history or whether or not they were smokers, among other relevant data.
Why is all this information essential for future treatments? In terms of oncology, the immediate future is called “personalized” medicine. According to him he explained to PROFILE Hernán García Rivello, head of the Department of Clinical Pathology at the Italian Hospital, “Specialists study the unique characteristics of cancer, through genomics, which maps DNA to understand the characteristics of the tumor and predict the course of the disease.” Today, it is known that each tumor is unique and can respond differently to each treatment. By analyzing a patient’s genomic and molecular information, it can be identified which will be the most effective options or which medications could have fewer adverse effects.
“If we add to genomics the ‘personomics‘and the family characteristics that we can extract from databases like ours, we will be able to refine even better what the individual treatment will be for each case,” stated Gil Deza, “seeking to make the results more efficient and reduce side effects, so that more patients can access to treatments and achieve longer and better quality survival for people with cancer.
How to prevent colon cancer?
March 31st is remembered World Colorectal Cancer Prevention Day, a pathology whose diagnosis is received by 4% of the world’s population (men and women) at some point in their lives. In Argentina, they are detected about 15 thousand new cases every year, and it is the second type of cancer with the highest incidence and mortality (after lung cancer). This tumor has a particularity: is one of the types that can be prevented, and cured, with very high efficiency (90%) if people underwent periodic preventive studies, at the recommended age and frequency. They are analyzes – in addition – that, in Argentina, are 100% covered by prepaid and social works.
“Despite this possibility, for cultural reasons, regarding the “target” population “that we consider that some of the studies should be carried out, we estimate that only 30% actually access screening,” lamented the clinical oncologist. Luis Basbus, member of the Oncology Service of the Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires. The two studies available for prevention are colonoscopy and the exam hidden blood in fecal matter.
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