The Health Services Authority and the Cayman Islands Cancer Registry join communities and medical professionals across the world to observe Cancer Registrars Week, April 6-10, 2020 and recognise the country’s progression in voluntary cancer registration.

This year’s theme ‘2020 Vision for the Future’ reflects the critical role cancer registrars play in capturing data that informs cancer prevention and screening programs, treatment, and research.

“Understanding cancer data is the key to the nations fight against cancer. By collecting and analyzing cancer data we can better plan healthcare infrastructure, clinical services and other support systems” Amanda Nicholson, the Cayman Islands Cancer Registrar.

“Within our community, National Cancer Registrars Week isn’t just about cancer registrars. It’s also about recognising everyone involved with cancer surveillance and prevention. We rely strongly on our partner organisations, the nurses and doctors at our local hospitals, and most importantly, cancer survivors themselves. Cancer prevention efforts in Cayman come from a large network of people and organizations within our community.”

The Cayman Islands Cancer Registry is a population-based health registry that relies on persons to volunteer the information as it is not mandatory in the Cayman Islands. The registry is unique in its cancer surveillance which captures data on a diverse and multicultural population in the Cayman Islands. The registry was developed to better understand what cancer trends look like within the Cayman Islands, thereby making it possible to do more in terms of prevention. 

“From the data collected we can start to see some emerging trends taking shape. In 2019 the most reported cancers for males included prostate cancer, cancers of the blood and lung cancer respectively. For women the most reported cancers were breast cancer, colon cancer and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer remains the most reported cancer to the registry overall.”

Approximately 68% of registrants for 2019 were female and 32% male.  Most cases in the registry for last year were reported by registrants within the first 6 months of receiving a diagnosis.

The Cayman Islands Cancer Registry is calling for cancer patients & survivors to register and complete the online data collection form. All information included in the registry is confidential and anonymous as the registry uses a digital numbering method, database designed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and customised to fit the needs of Cayman’s unique community.

Registering only takes a few minutes and can be done in person or via e-mail. Anyone wishing to register, or learn more about the national cancer registry, may contact Amanda Nicholson at (345) 244-2560 or [email protected].