THE “NEW” PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK

 The Miami medical delegation has arrived in the Turks and Caicos Islands to join a peer-to-peer conference organized by Abbe Bendel and Dr. Mauricio Lynn of the Jackson Memorial Hospital International Program. (In the photo, Dr Kester Nedd and Dr Mauricio Lynn are ready to go.) The meeting was hosted by Dr. Rufus Ewing of the Ministry of Health.

The main emphasis was acute care, ranging from stroke to major trauma. Still, me being me, I diverted discussion to prostate cancer.

Here are some observations:

1. Prostate cancer is the orphan of cancers. Driving on the main road on Grand Turk, I saw banners urging smoking cessation and gynecological screening. Great. Nothing about prostate cancer. Typical. It’s how it is in Miami, where the American Cancer Society seems almost to behave as if prostate cancer was not a real cancer. Is there something about prostate cancer that makes major organizations practically ignore it?
2. There is a sense that there is a lot of prostate cancer here. This I heard from primary physicians, surgeons, and nurses. Still, nobody could produce data on incidence, let alone patients’ stages at diagnosis.
3. We reviewed the incidence and mortality data I have posted on this blog. What seemed to completely surprise everyone was the extraordinarily high mortality in Cuba. There is a nearly 1:1 ratio between prostate cancer diagnosis and prostate cancer death. No other Caribbean nation came close to this ratio. There was a general sense that this defied the general perception that health care is good on Cuba, which apparently caters to tourists wanting cosmetic surgery. Then an English physician pointed out that there is no PSA testing on Cuba. He points out that PSA testing machines are made in the US and thus are embargoed.
4. I have heard many times that Jamaica has a really severe prostate cancer problem. So had others in the audience. Still, when we reviewed the table it became apparent that Jamaica does not have the worst statistics. That distinction went to Puerto Rico, followed closely by Barbados. Again … a surprise to all of us who had heard the Jamaica legend.

One gets a general sense that there is a severe problem with prostate cancer in the Turks and Caicos. However, this is just a general impression from casual discussion and the observation that early detection is hampered primarily by lack of means, not lack of knowledge. Overall, one gets the sense that the health workers are interested in knowing more and doing more.

In the absence of data we are the blind leading the blind.

To join the discussion, go to The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink social network. Sign up, find the Caribbean group, and let us know what you think. We’d love to see you there.