South Africa Healthcare Report Reviews the State of Cancer

A report released in March 2023 by StatsSA reviews the state of cancer in the country from 2008-2019 and will be used as a baseline to help shape the type of cancer treatment and management strategies needed, particularly as the current strategy had expired in 2022.  

The findings show that cancer was the fourth leading cause of mortality in the country, contributing 9.7% of all deaths recorded in 2018. Circulatory disease (18.3 %), infectious disease (TB. HIV) at 1.4%, and trauma (inter-personal violence, accidents) at 12%. Females accounted for 51.3 % of cancer cases (median age of diagnosis: 59) and males accounted for 48.6% (median age of diagnosis: 64). Median cancer-related deaths for females was 62 years, while for males it was 64. These numbers indicate that males are likely being diagnosed at a more advanced stage of the disease. 

Males presented most commonly with prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers. Cancer-related mortalities were as follows: bronchial and lung (18.7%), prostate (16.7%), oesophagus (7.5%), colorectal (6.8%), liver and intrahepatic bile ducts (5.2%).  Cancer diagnosis in females were mostly for breast, cervical, and colorectal. Between 2008 and 2018 Cancer-related death increased by 42.4% for breast (from 2 653 to 3 796); 50.5% for cervical (from 2 653 to 3 994); Colorectal 45.1% (from 945 to 1 371); bronchus and lung by 38.2% (from 1 491 to 2060). 

There are concerns that these figures represent only a fraction of actual cancer cases and that there is gross underreporting. A number of factors underlie this discrepancy, such as death being attributed to a secondary cause, underreporting by a medical facility, as well as the National Cancer Registry only recording pathology-based diagnosis. 

Better quality data is needed to help determine the true prevalence of the disease. The National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD) currently is in the process of standing up a population-based cancer registry to record and harmonize all cancers from all sources. 

Funding remains constrained, particularly in the public sector, but to tackle the growing cancer burden better treatment, screening, and diagnostic solutions are needed. Robotic surgery holds great promise (the da Vinci platform already is in use by some private hospitals for complex pelvic, prostate and colorectal surgery), as well as AI solutions particularly for diagnostics. Innovative early detection and screening technologies offer opportunities as well. 

The MRI market is currently valued at around USD125 million and is projected to grow around 4% by 2028. It is dominated by some major U.S. and European players, but opportunities exist for cost effective and innovative equipment. The growing cancer burden also increases the need for CT scanners, particularly in the public sector where patient access to effective diagnosis and treatment is particularly acute. Opportunities also exist for navigational technologies that visually assist in surgical procedures. 

For more information, please contact:  

Felicity Nagel, Commercial Specialist
Email: felicity.nagel@trade.gov