Cancer strategy aims for education, screening

The Ontario Cancer Society hopes an increased focus on cancer education, early screening and prevention efforts will help stem the rapidly growing rates of cancer in First Nations and Metis populations in Ontario.
The second Aboriginal Cancer Strategy, released Sept. 10, outlines six priorities needed to deal with cancer rates in Aboriginal communities that are much higher than the general provincial population.
Alethea Kewayosh, director of Aboriginal Cancer Control for Cancer Care Ontario, emphasized that First Nation and Metis communities need more cancer screening to identify treatable cancers before too late.
She cited breast cancer and colorectoral cancer as two examples of highly treatable cancers that have to be caught early for treatment to be successful. In too many cases in Aboriginal communities, however, breast and colorectoral cancers are not discovered until it is too late for treatment, she said.
“With colorectoral and breast cancers, the rise we’ve seen in First Nation communities has been very drastic,” Kewayosh said. “Most Aboriginal people are not surviving them, because we are diagnosing them too late, even though they are highly treatable, highly survivable cancers.”
The Aboriginal Cancer Strategy follows upon an initial strategy that was in place from 2004 to 2009. Kewayosh said the first strategy allowed the organization to start building relationships with regional Aboriginal organizations across the province. Those relationships helped form the plans outlined in the recent cancer strategy, she said.
“I wanted to have the conversation with them to make sure we’re accountable, and make sure First Nations are made aware of the strategy,“ Kewayosh said. “We want to make sure this strategy isn’t just sitting on the shelf.”
Besides early detection of cancer, Kewayosh said it is crucial to start educating people on preventative lifestyle choices to limit the chances of getting cancer.
She emphasized that everyone should be aware of the effects of smoking and drinking alcohol – “if you smoke, stop,” she said, noting that both activities are related to increased risk of cancer. She also said healthy eating and getting physical activity are ways of limiting the chances of getting cancer.
Both prevention and education are given their own place in the strategy as two of the six goals.
The other goals include a screening blitz, research and surveillance, supportive care and building productive relationships.
Under research and surveillance, Kewayosh said it is crucial for caregivers to get more accurate information on the rates of cancer in First Nations, Metis and Inuit populations.
While researchers do know that prior to 1991, First Nations people were less likely than non-Aboriginal people to acquire cancer, that has changed in the two decades since then.
And due to that rapid increase in cancer, the health care system is having to deal with a large number of Aboriginal cancer patients despite a limited number of resources for doing so.
“We’re focusing on the importance of screening, because we want to make sure we’re catching it early, but at the same time we have people with cancer now,” Kewayosh said. She added that many community leaders across the province have expressed their desires to see more palliative care geared at Aboriginal people.