Cancer cases on the rise in SA

Actuaries predict they will almost double by 2030

The WorldHealth Organisation says canceraccounted for nearly10-million deathsin 2020 globally. SA has not been immune from thistrend, with the incidencesof cancerrising considerablysince thebeginningof thepandemic,making it a major and growing public healthconcern.

Cancer diagnosis claims increasedby631% in2021and 2022, compared with 2019 and 2020 figures, saysSirago UnderwritingManagers.

Dr Dion Kapp, executive managerfor managedhealth care and providers at Bestmed MedicalScheme, saysthe numberof newcancerdiagnosesarealarming.

He saysthat understanding therealitiesofthediseaseisan importantstep towardsencouraging consumers to take preventiveaction.

“Frequent cancer screening and prevention remains the mosteffective methodofcurbing the economic, financial, physical and mental toll the disease takes onpeople of all ages, ethnicities and circumstances, includingthe high costs of treatmentthat become necessary whencancer isonly diagnosedat alate stage,” he says.

Like Sirago,Bestmed also recorded asteep increasein cancer incidences in recent years. Kappsays thereason for this is not an increase in screening or anyknown direct correlationbetweentheCovid19virusandcancer.

Rather, it’s aknock-on effect of Covid-19, especially during thehard lockdownwhenpeople avoidedvisiting hospitals or pathologists forfear of contractingthevirus.

Actuaries predict that cancerincidenceswillalmostdoubleinSAby2030,from62,000 cancer-related deathsin 2019

Lee Callakoppen, principal officer at Bonitas Medical Fund scribes medication, aligned to themembers optionandformulary and, if areferral to a specialistis required,the member is referred to a networkspecialist. Wehavenegotiated rateson behalfof our memberswith networkspecialiststo avoidco-payments. Should themember require hospitaladmission, ourspecialists will admit them to a networkhospital toavoidfurther co-payments,” says Callakoppen. cancers in SA.Though this is nothing new, we are seeing comparatively higher numbers for this period, indicating that many ofthese incidences could havebeen detectedtwo yearsago,”hesays. to121,000 insevenyears, based on existing mortality trends with thenumbers impacted by anageing and growingpopulation.

Rapid urbanisationas peoplemovecloser tojobopportunitiesmeans that63% ofSouth Africans already live in urban areas.Thedownsideofurbanisation, says Callakoppen, is a negativeimpact onpeople’s health,themostsignificantbeingan increaseinnon-communicableorlifestylediseases.

“More frequentscreening testsgive peopleabetter chanceofbeingdiagnosedearlier,thus makingtreatment moreeffective.

Thetotal benefitspaidby Bestmed towards oncology treatmentincreased by47%in 2022.

The biggest contributor of this escalation, saysKapp, was biological medicationand immunotherapy. The cost increasefor thesetwotherapies alonewas31%.

In response,Bonitas introducedEdge plans,which Callakoppenbelieves arethe mostinnovativeinthecountry, while remaining affordable. Edgeplans,he says,areaimed atnewentrants totheworkplace, economically active singles or couples, living in the largermetros,agedbetween18 and 35.They aredriven by technology and easeof access through virtual integration anddigitalintervention.

Two Edgeplans areavailable BonStart and BonStart Plus bothdistinct intheir scope andpopular, withmore than10,000livescovered.Both planshave monthlycontributions, for theprincipal member,ofunderR1,350.Contributions decreasedin 2022while nocontribution increasewas implementedin2023.

These predictions align with data collected by Bestmed which show steep increases across allpredominant types of cancerbetween 2020and 2022, with breastcancer increasing by 35%and prostate cancerby45%.

“Breastand prostatecancer remainthe dominanttypesof

Radiology-related claims also increased, with advanced radiology such asMRI, CAT scans andnuclear medicine used to monitorand diagnose cancer increasing by 19% in 2022,compared topre-pandemiclevels.

Kapp attributesthe biggest driver ofincreased cancer treatmentcosts toadvancedstagecancerdiagnoses.

“Latediagnoses oftenresult inthe prescriptionofmore novelmedicines totreatcan- cers more aggressively, which are more expensive. This is why it’sso importantthatindividuals reach outto their medical aidscheme tofind out which preventive screenings suchas mammograms,pap smearsandprostateexamsare availabletothem.”

Bestmed like most medicalschemes offers anumber of preventivehealth benefits that memberscan access, along withvarious oncology care benefits depending on theirselectedplan.