Why disease is difficult to detect and expensive to treat

Photo: Courtesy

Do you have frequent bouts of fever, unexplained cough, or a never-ending headache? Then it is advisable you get screened for cancer.

Experts have confirmed that one of the challenges behind diagnosis of cancer at an early stage is because the disease has the ability to mimic other ailments.

Cancer specialist Catherine Nyongesa said many Kenyans spent a lot of money treating the symptom which manifest as other common ailments such as malaria or typhoid, only for it to be found later that they have cancer.

CHECK CHILDREN

Dr Nyongesa said it was wise, especially for children, to be checked thoroughly by their parents for any out-of-the-ordinary behaviour such as loss of appetite, vomiting, especially in the morning, or frequent bruising as these symptoms can raise a red flag.

For example, a constant headache in a child accompanied by vomiting and loss of concentration in class or convulsions could be a sign of a brain tumour.

She added that children tend to respond well to medication when cancer is detected early compared to adults.

Nyongesa noted that breast and cervical cancer are the most common among women while prostrate and cancer of the throat affect many men.

She said data, though sketchy, has shown that women appear to be more vulnerable to cancer compared to men.

Sixty-one per cent of cancer cases in the country are women.

“The problem is most cancers are discovered very late. And when this happens, then patients and their families have to spend more than expected to treat the illness,” she said.

CHEMO COST

A single session of chemotherapy goes for Sh3,600 in government hospitals and patients require between 25 and 35 sessions.

Some also have to undergo operations.

Leukaemia, she said, is currently the most expensive cancer to treat as it can cost up to Sh10 million due to bone marrow transplant.

"Usually, if detected early, one can just have surgery. In such a case it will not be more than Sh500,000, which can be covered by social health insurance,” Nyongesa said. 

Do you have frequent bouts of fever, unexplained cough, or a never-ending headache? Then it is advisable you get screened for cancer.

Experts have confirmed that one of the challenges behind diagnosis of cancer at an early stage is because the disease has the ability to mimic other ailments.

Cancer specialist Catherine Nyongesa said many Kenyans spent a lot of money treating the symptom which manifest as other common ailments such as malaria or typhoid, only for it to be found later that they have cancer.

CHECK CHILDREN

Dr Nyongesa said it was wise, especially for children, to be checked thoroughly by their parents for any out-of-the-ordinary behaviour such as loss of appetite, vomiting, especially in the morning, or frequent bruising as these symptoms can raise a red flag.

For example, a constant headache in a child accompanied by vomiting and loss of concentration in class or convulsions could be a sign of a brain tumour.

She added that children tend to respond well to medication when cancer is detected early compared to adults.

Nyongesa noted that breast and cervical cancer are the most common among women while prostrate and cancer of the throat affect many men.

She said data, though sketchy, has shown that women appear to be more vulnerable to cancer compared to men.

Sixty-one per cent of cancer cases in the country are women.

“The problem is most cancers are discovered very late. And when this happens, then patients and their families have to spend more than expected to treat the illness,” she said.

CHEMO COST

A single session of chemotherapy goes for Sh3,600 in government hospitals and patients require between 25 and 35 sessions.

Some also have to undergo operations.

Leukaemia, she said, is currently the most expensive cancer to treat as it can cost up to Sh10 million due to bone marrow transplant.

"Usually, if detected early, one can just have surgery. In such a case it will not be more than Sh500,000, which can be covered by social health insurance,” Nyongesa said.