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Five per cent of all cancers in the country are affecting children with many more dying from the disease that often goes undiagnosed.
According to Aga Khan Paediatric Oncologist William Macharia many people (especially children) die from cancers undiagnosed because of parents and medical persons missing out the signs or mistaking them for other conditions.
"Late detection or lack of detection is due to confusion with other common diseases like joint disease, malaria and common infections. In children, many cancers present like other common childhood conditions," said Prof Macharia, adding that poverty also limits access to facilities that have resources to correctly diagnose cancers.
He said different cancers take different periods to treat. While Kidney cancers take shorter time (about three to six months) to treat, Leukemia or Lymphnode cancers go up to two years.
He said in overall, treatment outcome is best for kidney cancers, eye cancers and gland cancers (especially a sub-type called Hodgkin's lymphoma).
He said most are compatible with long life if detected early, including some types of brain tumors. In developed countries, where things are done right, about 70 per cent of all children cancers are cured and about 90 per cent of kidney cancers," he said.
Correct treatment
He said cost treatment varies, with public hospitals charging about Sh150,000, while private facilities ask for about five to six times the amount.
Macharia said chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are expensive.
Three quarter of children cancers in Kenya are curable if detected in good time and correct treatment and supportive care during cancer treatment is provided, he said.
"Availing cancer drugs without attendant requirements to contain complications associated with treatment alone will not result in more persons surviving as they will switch from dying from the cancer and its complications and die from complications of cancer treatment," he said.
He said cancer treatment is lethal when administered by inexperienced persons due to very many side effects.
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