1. Comparison for Causes of Cancer
and Treatment on an International
Level
Daniel Le
UNMC College of Pharmacy

2. Data of Low and Middle Income
Countries
• Very limited amount of
population are covered
by cancer registries
• Harder to access the
area for studies so it
reduces the data

3. Infectious Disease
• Infectious disease is
common due to poor
living conditions
• Infection will causes
more co-morbid
diseases
• Mask cancer
• Makes cancer harder to
treat

4. Infectious Disease takes priority
• In some countries
Infectious disease is the
worse problem
• Limited Resources, and
therefore goes to curing
infection
• Worry more about
clean water and living
situations

5. Type of Cancer by region
• Oral cancer = South Central
Asia
• Liver cancer = Sub-Saharan
Africa
• Bladder cancer = Northern
Africa and Western Asia
• Stomach cancer = South
America

6. Reasons of Variations
• Environmental factors
• Racial/ethnic factors
• Genetics
• Diet
• Geographical factors,
– Green Spaces
– Fresh Air
– Toxic exposures

7. Nutrition
• More Western Diet
• More fats in food
• Increase in obesity,
diabetes, heart disease,
and cancer
• Over half of the cancer
around the world are
link to high fat foods
and smoking

8. Nutrition Education
• Increase fruits and
vegetables
• Reduces animal foods
• Limit alcohol
• Limit smoking
• Reduces the amount of
sodium in diet

9. Risk factor in Low Income Countries
• Lifestyle: such as
smoking
• Occupation are usually
more dangerous,
radiation exposure,
pollution in water
• Pollution in the air

10. Challenges
• Harder to find hospital that
will do diagnostic testing
• Supplies for treatment and
prevention harder to find in
rural areas
• Education rates are lower
• Information about the harm
of smoking is limited
• Vaccines are not
administered at young age

11. Vaccines
• Childhood vaccines of
Hepatitis B can prevent
liver cancer
• HPV vaccinations can
prevent cervical cancer
• Influenza vaccines can
help prevent flu, which
might mask cancer signs

12. Lack of Training
• Many third world
countries have smaller
amounts of doctor and
nurses to population
ratio
• Many doctors do not
specialize in oncology

13. Lack of Resources
• Few Surgeons that are
train in cancer surgery
• Many countries cannot
afford radiation supply
and equipment
• Fewer choices of chemo
drugs

14. Government
• With limited budget
government cannot
help much
• Healthcare is only a
portion of what the
government can use
money for

15. How Can We Help?
• Inform low income
countries the danger of
cancer
• How they are at a
disadvantage for adequate
treatment
• Look into changing
priority and how it can

16. More Help
• Look into charity,
perhaps public health
assistance
• Look at solutions that
can be meet the
demand but does not
take up much
opportunity cost
• Create immunization
center

17. Resources
• Global Health Education Organization
• World Health Organization
• International Network For Cancer Treatment