Analysis of cancer prevalence among women in Grenada

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate prevalence of cancers affecting women in Grenada, a study was conducted using de-identified patient records from the Grenada General Hospital Histopathology Laboratory of women who visited hospital and clinic facilities during 2000 - 2010. DESIGN AND METHODS: De-identified records of 12,012 entries, 9,023 female (7,172 individuals) between ages 8 – 94 years presumably to seek preventative care or medical treatment were assessed during this cross-sectional study. Sampling without replacement resulted in approximately 3,000 entries for analysis. Prevalence of each type of cancer reported amongst women was determined. RESULTS: Of the 3,000 pathology diagnoses, 601 of the samples were classified as cancerous. The most prevalent cancer in Grenadian women from 2000 – 2010 was cervical cancer at (34%), followed by breast cancer at (31%). All other reported cancers were analyzed and their prevalence determined. CONCLUSION: Overall, the rate of cancer among Grenadian women for the ten-year period from 2000 – 2010 was determined to be 8.4%. There are implications for prevention and creation of health policies to address cancer burden in Grenada.