Public health gains in cervical cancer prevention in Dominica are being overshadowed by growing concern over an alarming trend of younger patients being diagnosed with breast cancer on the island, according to top local medical experts.
In a recent appearance on DBS Radio’s popular Creole Heartbeat Program, hosted by Leroy ‘Wadix’ Charles, consultant gynecologist Dr. Curvin Ferreira shared encouraging data showing a consistent downward trend in invasive cervical cancer cases across the country. Globally, cervical cancer ranks as the second most common cancer among women and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death for female populations, making this local decline a notable public health success.
Dr. Ferreira attributed the progress to two key public health initiatives rolled out over the past two decades: the widespread national Pap test screening program, and the government’s introduction of school-based Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination campaigns. The screening program has allowed clinicians to catch far more pre-cancerous cell changes before they progress to full-blown, life-threatening cancer – a shift that Dr. Ferreira says directly reflects the impact of consistent public health investment over 20 years, regardless of which administration held power. “We get more of the pre-cancers now, and that is, I think, credence to whoever has been in power for the last 20 years. There has definitely been a reduction in cervical cancer,” he explained. “We get a lot of pre-cancer, and these are curable, but the real cancer, there is a downward trend.”
Beyond his update on cervical cancer, Dr. Ferreira also addressed common misconceptions about uterine fibroids, a common gynecological condition affecting women across the island. He noted that between 30 and 40 percent of Dominican women will develop fibroids at some point in their lives, countering claims that dietary choices contribute to fibroid growth. Instead, he suggested the high prevalence in the local population is likely tied to racial factors.
However, the mood shifted when experts turned to discussion of breast cancer trends in Dominica, with Dr. Ferreira confirming that diagnoses are increasingly being made in younger and younger age groups. This observation aligns with data shared during an October 2024 Cancer Awareness Public Sensitization Exercise held at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital (DCFH), where oncologist Dr. Laura Esprit emphasized that breast cancer has become the most pressing cancer-related public health challenge on the island.
Dr. Esprit shared local cancer registry data showing that breast cancer became the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Dominica in 2022, overtaking prostate cancer to claim the top spot. In 2023 alone, the disease accounted for more than 25 percent of all cancer diagnoses recorded on the island. Over the past five years, the country has recorded an average of 22.5 new breast cancer cases each year, with cancer-related deaths recorded in patients as young as 25 to 29 years old.
Breast cancer develops when abnormal cells in breast tissue multiply uncontrollably to form tumors; if not detected and treated early, these tumors can spread to other parts of the body and cause fatal outcomes. Dr. Esprit stressed that the rising rates and falling age of diagnosis make breast cancer a critical priority among non-communicable diseases in Dominica, calling for urgent, targeted action to address the growing crisis. “These figures are reiterated because this is our very productive sector, and this requires us to pause and pay special attention to this disease as one of the Non-Communicable Diseases,” Dr. Esprit said. “This certainly necessitates a call for immediate action and attention.”