Muunda Mudenda, Research and Innovation Lead of Genomic Testing (Africa) at UGenome AI, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“March is Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Awareness Month. As an active CRC researcher, I will be joining the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Digestive Cancers Europe, Fight Colorectal Cancer, OncoDaily and other organisations to raise awareness.
Globally, CRC is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Sadly, incidence rates are rising among younger populations worldwide. This trend, which is expected to continue, communicates the need for urgent public health intervention.
The March campaign aims to promote increased resource allocation to CRC interventions and empower people to take control of their digestive health.
My country, Zambia, carries a different cancer burden. Greater focus is placed on Breast, Prostate, Cervical, and Kaposi Sarcoma cancers. In 2022, CRC ranked 4th in females and 5th in males in incidence. I should also admit that significant data gaps exist. These are shaped by many factors, which I will write about this month.
Given these gaps and the low uptake of routine CRC checks, I would like to see the Zambian Cancer Society join this campaign. After all, the absence of data does not mean the absence of a public health burden.
Generally, CRC research is strong globally but remains limited across African countries. This is largely due to differences in reported public health burdens. This fact makes it even more important to engage. We need our policies to begin taking shape around what may soon be a significant public health concern.
I am not a medical professional. I am a researcher. I will therefore focus on the role R&D plays in CRC prevention, diagnosis, and personalised treatment. Consider these messages as messages from my colon to yours.
So, from my colon to yours, have a good blue month of March!”
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