PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has issued a sobering assessment of the region’s healthcare challenges, revealing that cancer continues as the second leading cause of mortality throughout Caribbean nations, trailing only cardiovascular diseases in fatalities.
In conjunction with World Cancer Day observances under the theme “United by Unique,” CARPHA’s comprehensive analysis documented approximately 119,000 new cancer diagnoses and over 66,000 cancer-attributed deaths across the Caribbean in 2022. The agency projects a disturbing 69 percent surge in cancer incidence throughout Latin America and the Caribbean by 2045, attributing this alarming trend to demographic aging and escalating exposure to primary risk factors.
The Caribbean region demonstrates particularly concerning statistics for specific cancer types. Medical research identifies nine Caribbean territories among the fifteen global jurisdictions with the highest age-standardised incidence rates for prostate cancer, including Guadeloupe—which records the world’s highest prevalence—followed by Martinique, Barbados, Puerto Rico, French Guiana, The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. Additionally, eight Caribbean nations rank among the top fifteen for prostate cancer occurrence, with Jamaica, Barbados, and Haiti featuring prominently.
The cervical cancer mortality landscape appears equally troubling, with Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Barbados occupying the second, third, and fourth highest global mortality rates respectively for this preventable disease.
Dr. Lisa Indar, CARPHA’s Executive Director, announced the forthcoming publication of “Cancer Incidence in the Caribbean, Volume I,” a seminal surveillance report compiling data from seven national cancer registries. This landmark document will provide unprecedented insights into cancer patterns across Barbados, Bermuda, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago.
While fifteen Caribbean countries have implemented dedicated national cancer control plans or integrated cancer management into broader noncommunicable disease strategies, CARPHA acknowledges significant disparities in healthcare responses across the region. Challenges persist regarding limited access to diagnostic services, treatment facilities, screening programs, and palliative care, with late-stage diagnosis remaining prevalent in numerous healthcare systems.
Since 2015, CARPHA has operated the International Agency for Research on Cancer Caribbean Cancer Registry Hub in collaboration with global health organizations including the US National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Pan American Health Organization. This initiative represents a concerted effort to enhance data quality and inform policy decisions through robust cancer surveillance mechanisms.