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Blacks accounted for 35% of the 282,413 people who tested positive for cancer between 2000 and 2004, the latest research by the National Institution for Occupational Health reveals.

Prostate and oesophagus cancers rated highest among black males, while cervix and breast cancers dominated in black females.

Doctors and traditional healers agree that what was once thought of as a "Western disease" has become one of the country's leading killers.

Pepsile Maseko, of the Traditional Healers Organisation, said the increase in black patients was caused by people adopting Western lifestyles and ignoring "preventative African methods".

"African culture instils preventative guidelines against such diseases. For example, a woman having her period should not have sex. The same goes for one who has just given birth," said Maseko.

Care4Cancer Campaign chief executive Lauren Pretorius said access to screening facilities and the stigma attached to cancer were some of the challenges faced by black communities.

"There is an increase in the number of black people with cancer. We don't know whether educational campaigns encourage people to come out," said Pretorius.

National Cancer Registry's Patricia Kellett said the number of black cancer patients had risen significantly since 2004.

"Added to this is a lack of diagnosis facilities, especially in rural areas. Unfortunately we can only record voluntary diagnosis done through laboratories of which there are only a handful," said Kellett.

She said legislation which will compel doctors to register all cancer diagnoses will be rolled out soon.

Johannesburg radiation oncologist Malik Gulzar said most of his cancer patients were black.

"The fact is 85% of the causes of cancer are lifestyle-related, while 15% is through inheritance. What shocks me is the number of people who still think that cancer is a white man's disease. That is not true," said Gulzar. - sifilel@sowetan.co.za

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Tue Jun 18 22:50:26 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 27, 2012

cocolucho

How the hell did this happen? I thought black dont crack! Is the same true for other african countries that are not so westernised.

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Jul 27, 2012

MommaC

Is cancer becoming more prevalent or is testing for cancer becoming more prevalent?

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Jul 27, 2012

sekhebereshe

even HIV is cancer,i know of a woman whos is full blown with the doctors knowing that she is HIV positive but there are busy operating her left and right removing cancer here and there by the way @ a private hospital,making money out of her,people go to public for HIV treatment.
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Jul 27, 2012

iPhone4

Webteam you are writing about statistics from way back 2000-2004 now my questions:

1. They never continued with the research...
2. You didn't do thorough research on the latest stats
3. You just lazy n want to fill the web only
I mean 8 years already has gone by and you still reporting on the stats for 2004???Seriously?
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Jul 27, 2012

svavava

governement should make cancer medication available in public hospitals as well. not everyone has got medical aid and trust me, cancer medication is very expensive
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Jul 27, 2012

JohnStone

Cancer has always been there before but not as widespread as today. Indeed there are some cancers that are caused by our lifestyles such as having sex during one's periods. Some women become irritated when a man refuses to have sex at that time of the month, they even accuse us of cheating. I have had a nasty personal experience with a woman, she flatly refused to observe the seven day period of abstinance. The day the bleeding stops, she is already making demands for the nookie. I insist on seven days no matter what. Even if one uses a condom, there is still a greater danger of these chemicals on condoms to cause more harm. Considering that these are now deposited into the womb that is still in the process of self-healing. During the periods, the skin inside the womb peels off, hence the bleeding and requires three to four days to heal. Women, please observe the seven day period and save your life. As for men, please keep it zipped for only seven days and you will still have all 23 days of hanky panky.
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Jul 27, 2012

PhenyoLive

I remember in 1993 when HIV testing was part of the package for medical check-up before been offered employment at one of the bank. I went for that check up in JHB CBD and the doctor was so honest with me. The doctor said that he used to work at Chris Hani Baragwanath for 30 years and during that time he never diagnosed blacks for blood pressure, diabetes, cancer etc. He indicated that abandoning our culture and lifestyle resulted in increase of such sicknesses amongst black community. So dear people our sin as Africans (Blacks), is changing our lifestyles and become westernised. Our food nowadays is fried, fatty, spiced and all other unhealthy things. Lately our women can longer boil food or just cook with less fat and salt and without spice at all. Even at funerals the food that we used to call (Mogoga) is now fleshy, it is no longer mogoga but something else. So that's the benefit of been westernised. Africa perish
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Jul 27, 2012

golly459

@PhenyoLiveTotally agree with you,
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Women must also breastfeed their kids because the moment you are pregnant your breast generate milk that are ready to be used and instead of the milk to come out you decide not to breastfeed, and the veins with the milk start to generate clumps on your breast you end up having Breast cancer. My mom never used any formula and all of us we are strong and healthy. Black people let’s not adopt to much of Western lifestyles.

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Jul 27, 2012

Galfrend

hey nawo amacancer akhona semaningi...its confusing

John - very imformative.
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Jul 27, 2012

Shredder

These diseases like Cancer and diabetes are foreign to us. They never existed in black people because we used to eat good African food. The food that we we eat now is poisoning us.
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