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Where it all begins!
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COSTARICANEWS
| Thursday 26 August 2010 |
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Cancer
Risk
Higher
In San
José
Than The
Rest of
Costa
Rica
If you
live in
the
Central
valley -
the
centre
of Costa
Rica -
you have
a higher
risk of
developing
cancer
than
those
living
in other
parts of
the
country.
The
higher
cancer
risk of
the
Central
Valley
affects
both men
and
women,
according
to
studies
by the
Caja
Costarricense
de
Seguro
Social (CCSS)
and the
Universidad
de Costa
Rica (UCR).
According
to the
report,
while
national
levels
for
cancer
(of all
types)
in women
is 209
cases in
100.000
inhabitants,
in the
cantón
Central
de San
José it
is
1.477.
In the
case of
men, it
is 1.460
per
100.000
inhabitants,
while
only 179
at the
national
level.
The
numbers
are
taken
from the
"Atlas
de
incidencia
por
cáncer
en Costa
Rica
2000-2004".
This is
the
first
document
in the
country
with
respect
to the
incidence
of
malignant
tumors.
The
atlas
reveals
what
kind of
cancer
affects
a given
geographical
area
(the
territory
was
divided
into 103
health
areas).
Skin
cancer
had the
highest
incidence
rate
between
2000 and
2004,
with
7.766
cases,
representing
20% of
all
tumors.
The
cantones
of San
José,
Cuidad
Quesada
(San
Carlos),
Coto
Brus and
Aguirre
(Quepos)
has the
highest
incidences
of skin
cancer.
Although
the
incidences
of skin
cancer
in men
was 345
per
100.000
in San
José,
the rate
was only
7 cases
per
100.000
in
Limón.
The CCSS/UCR
study
reveals
six
types of
cancers
representing
70% of
all
cancers
in Costa
Rica:
skin,
uterus,
prostate,
stomach,
breast
and
digestive
organs
(leaving
out the
stomach).
"We
noted
that the
risk of
getting
cancer
increases
in some
health
areas up
to three
times
compared
to
others.
Residents
of
Cartago
have a
higher
probability
of
developing
gastric
cancer
that
other
areas in
the
country",
said
Amada
Aparicio
Llano,
one of
the
investigators
for the
CCSS.
Cervical
cancer
is more
prominent
in the
canton
Central
de San
José and
Puerto
Viejo de
Limón,
while in
Puntarenas
there is
an alert
for skin
cancer.
There is
a high
rate of
breast
cancer
in San
José
centre
(450 per
100.000),
followed
by
Giocochea
and
Zapote.
In
contrast,
the rate
of
breast
cancer
in
Buenos
Aires de
Puntarenas
is only
9 per
100.000.
The
national
average
of
breast
cancer
is 75
cases in
100.000
persons.
Prostate
cancer
is also
higher
in San
José
centre,
followed
by cases
in Tibás,
Zapote,
Goicochea
and the
northern
parts of
the
Alajuela
province.
Researches
stress
that the
high
rate of
cancer
cases in
San José
is not
related
to
population
density.
A
separate
part of
study
takes
population
density,
as the
areas
are
studied
separately.
"The
population
factor
has
nothing
to do
with the
incidence
rate",
stressed
Aparicio.
Delays
in
cancer
statistics
is
common
around
the
world.
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Costa Rica's Daily English News
Source
Apdo. 2133-1000, San José, Costa
Rica
Tel: (506) 2231 3205 / (506) 8399
9642
Fax: (506) 2232 6337
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