Malta has achieved an increase in survival rates in all types of cancer analysed, the Health Ministry said yesterday, referring to the Eurocare collaborative studies that have been recently published online by The Lancet Oncology.
Through the National Cancer Registry based at the Department of Health Inform-ation, Malta has participated in the Eurocare-3 study with cases diagnosed from 1993-94 and in the Eurocare-4 study with cases diagnosed between 1995-99 and 2000-02 and followed up till the end of 2003.
“For all types of cancer analysed, Malta has achieved an increase in survival rates, which in some cases was greater than that observed in the Eurocare pool,” said the ministry. Compared with the Eurocare-4 average, Malta is shown to be doing better than average for skin melanoma, kidney and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”
It said that although Malta’s rates were lower for the rest of the types, it was noted that for the majority the difference was small and due to Malta’s relatively small numbers (new cases and deaths) these rates were affected by a significant degree of statistical uncertainty. While noting that improvement had taken place, the ministry was committed to continue to improve cancer prevention and treatment.
A consultation document on A Cancer Control Plan has recently been drawn up and is available for consultation on the ministry website at www.sahha.gov.mt/entities/cancerstrategy.html This is intended to provide an overarching framework for cancer prevention and treatment and a plan for the development of services in the area of oncology in the coming years.
The ministry said the government was investing in cancer treatment with the new cancer treatment facility that is to be developed at the Zammit Clapp Hospital premises. All cancer therapy will be provided through this centre, thereby doubling the existing capacity. The Zammit Clapp Hospital will be specifically extended, refurbished and equipped to offer a better quality of service for more cancer patients, since these were expected to increase in number due to increasing longevity.
The services of the Oncology Department will be divided into two separate areas – inpatients and outpatients. The existing ZCH building will house oncology inpatients, a palliative care unit and a radioisotope unit. The new unit will accommodate the oncology treatment services – radiotherapy, chemotherapy and outpatient clinics. The government is also investing in the modernisation of equipment used to treat cancer. In this way, the ministry said, cancer was being made a central priority in the health system.