Doctors urge early cancer screening to save lives

The importance of screening and early cancer detection dominated Saturday’s session of the annual conference of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), held under the theme ‘A Holistic Approach to Cancer Care’.

The two-day conference brought together leading medical experts, all warning that too many Barbadians continue to present with cancer at advanced stages of the disease.

Consultant urologist Dr Paul Rouse delivered a sobering presentation, highlighting that Barbados continues to record unusually high prostate cancer deaths. He stressed that symptoms alone cannot be relied upon. “Some patients have symptoms; some patients don’t have symptoms, so absence of symptoms does not mean absence of disease,” he said.

Emphasising the role of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing, Dr Rouse explained that earlier detection significantly improves outcomes. “We have some good data out there which shares that detecting the disease at an early stage when the patient is asymptomatic is the whole idea, and when we implement treatment strategies, whether that is lifestyle changes, medical management or surgical treatment, it significantly improves the outcome.”

While PSA results are not perfect, he noted that modern diagnostic tools are allowing far greater accuracy.

He also highlighted major advances in urological care available locally, explaining that more Barbadians can now receive critical treatment on the island rather than abroad.

Consultant gastroenterologist Dr Avenello Maynard echoed the urgency of early detection. Presenting global and local statistics, he noted, “In 2022, there were over 1.9 million persons diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and it is the second most common cause of death by cancer, with over 900 000 cases reported that year globally. In Barbados… we have a combination of very high incidence with very high mortality as well, with males being more affected than females.”

He further stressed that early diagnosis saves lives since colorectal cancer usually develops slowly over 10 to 20 years. “This means the opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment is possible with less invasive forms of surgery,” he added.

General surgeon Dr Ian Lewis, who presented on breast cancer, reminded the audience that it remains the most common cancer affecting Barbadian women, and early detection is still the key to saving lives. He discussed how advances in digital mammography have improved detection rates, especially when combined with proper breast compression and skilled radiological interpretation. Screening, he said, “is secondary prevention with the aim of detecting disease before symptoms.”

Dr Lewis outlined the evolution of mammography from early film to modern digital systems while stressing the importance of understanding breast density and its impact on both risk and accurate detection.

He also urged women to stay consistent with recommended screening schedules. “Up to 30 per cent of screen-detected breast cancers are identified through suspicious calcifications, and mammography remains the screening tool proven to reduce breast cancer mortality. The earlier we find it, the better the outcome.” (DT)