Counting is taken for granted and equated to guessing yet it is important

“

Cancer registration is important especially in South Africa; a middle-income country on transition with also high number HIV infected people side by side. An increase in the number of cancers is expected based on the long life expectancy both by healthy and those infected by HIV. Why? In addition to multiple factors causing different types of cancers; cancer is also identified as an old age disease, the older one grows the higher the chance to have cancer diagnosis. There are also cancers that are identified as opportunistic in people infected by HIV. With the successful roll-out of ARVs in South Africa; those opportunistic cancers are also expected to rise. It is extremely important to continue keeping a record of all people having cancer as way of looking to new emerging cancers, any decrease to the known which might reflect good planning and care or increase which may reflect improved diagnosis due to availability of both cancer experts and resources. More education about those cancers that can be prevented through changing life style, culture and diet. Living with cancer in a dignified manner through recommendations to the government about treatment availability to all and what works better for all those having cancer including their families who take care of them. Prevention as a corner stone to cancer control cannot be over emphasized through education of young and old on cancer general. Better informed population have better understanding of the disease and when diagnosed with cancer can easily join the team as good participants in the treatment .

”

“

Many health demands in Africa cripple the development of cancer surveillance, However, concerted efforts by country members and the World Health Organisation through the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) produced good results. There is an increase in cancer surveillance activity in Africa which shows important variations in cancer types and patterns across the region. Effective cancer control intervention programmes for cancer prevention, early detection; quality life after cancer diagnosis and better survival are envisaged.

”